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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

If your child is an excellent swimmer, how did you get there?

130 replies

ABakersDozen · 07/02/2015 07:50

Just that really. My child is very slow to swim. I am so keen for him to learn as it is a life skill and could save his life. He has no fear of the water, just not really getting it yet.

Children in his class (Y2) are swimming 100 metres! If you have a child swimming to this level, what did it take?

Did you start them swimming as babies, do they have a weekly lesson, one to one coaching (with you or a teacher), do you swim religiously even in school holidays? Did you do other activities to work on 'core strength'? I have friends with DD's who say gymnastics has helped with swimming because they have strengthened their core. Am I just not putting enough thought and effort into this?!

OP posts:

SquinkiesRule · 07/02/2015 17:42

My youngest is a great swimmer but has always loved the water even as a todddler (thats when the oldest two decided they were afraid of it) She learned fast to hold her breath and would swim underwater but couldn't swim on top so did an intensive swim course when she was 6, it was monday to friday and hour each day for two weeks, two summers in a row, with 4 children in the class the first year and only two in the second year, she was diving in by the end of year two. Now she goes weekly with school for one term each year she's year 5 and in the top group of swimmers with the year 6 kids.
Ds 2 loved water went off it a bit, had the same swim course but hated it at age 5 then took it up again as a young teen and ended up on the high school swim team and was one of their best 500m swimmers.
Ds1 hated water as a toddler, but would swim for fun played in the pool and can swim fine but not great, tried the swim course at age 6 but never took to it. So we never pushed it.

Dionysuss · 07/02/2015 17:52

Dd1 was given swimming lessons as her 4th birthday present from her nan. They were run by a local swim club and she has worked her way up through the groups, and is now competing at county level.

TalkinPeace · 07/02/2015 18:33

How often do you go swimming with him?

Mine have never had a swimming lesson in their lives.
But we went swimming together up to three times a week (gym membership) from when they were 3 and 1

They did the year 4 swimming and were both in the top group.

For safety reasons I insist that they each show me they can swim half a mile (800 metres) non stop once a term - especially before we go on holiday.

They are both better swimmers than me even though I swim 4 miles a week.

TheCunnyFunt · 07/02/2015 18:43

My 6yo niece is a fantastic swimmer, she has been swimming almost every week since she was 6 weeks old. Iirc she started at Water Babies and then when she grew out of WB she started lessons at the local leisure centre and still has them now. She's the best in her class apparently.

I took ages to learn to swim, I had tonnes of lessons and then one day, when I was about 8, it just clicked and I swam across the (little) pool.

whathaveiforgottentoday · 07/02/2015 18:45

I used to teach swimming and there is an enormous variation in how quickly they learn. It definitely can take tall skinny boys longer sometimes as they tend to sink so have to actually be able to swim to keep afloat, whereas little round girls literally bob up and down on the surface so can often swim by age 4/5 (not really swimming - more like floating with leg and arm action).
In the long run it will make no difference as they all learn eventually but I think the most important is to get them to be safe and enjoy swimming. It's such a useful sport for all ages. My DH has done his back in again and its annoying that he isn't a good swimmer as its one of the few sports he could do at the moment.

thanksamillion · 07/02/2015 18:48

I know lots of people have said that consistent swimming lessons are important, but we were (until recently) living somewhere abroad with very occasional access to pools. Basically we could only swim if we went away and stayed somewhere with a pool. But I made sure that if possible we did and the DCs have learnt to swim from those short bursts, sometimes 6 months apart.

We're now back in the UK and they're all having weekly lessons. They're definitely progressing faster and with more style but I think they would still have ended up competent swimmers.

I think you need to be intentional about them learning but that doesn't necessarily mean weekly lessons from the age of 5.

JaceLancs · 07/02/2015 18:51

Tried swimming lessons with DD when she was 4 she hated it and after 2 terms we stopped
DS never had any lessons
Lots of exposure was key for me they were both proficient swimmers by 6/7 due to us going as a family couple of times a week and during school holidays much more often as well as in sea as we're not far from coast
As adults they are both fantastic swimmers - DS only bothers occasionally on holiday etc, but DD and I go together at least twice a week after gym

DontOpenDeadInside · 07/02/2015 19:15

I learnt to swim in 1 week when I was 10, it surprises me it takes so long nowadays. I've just got dd1(11) and dd2(6.5) into lessons and was thinking 1 block would do...now I'm guessing not lol

taxi4ballet · 07/02/2015 19:21

I took DD to splash about in the pool when she was tiny, and she started proper lessons at about 4ish. She's a natural 'sinker', as is her dad, and she spent nearly three years getting pretty much nowhere, scared of putting her face under water, wouldn't jump in, and would sink at the back end even when gripping a float.

Then one term, when she was about 7, a new young Australian swimming teacher started at the pool. As if by magic he had her swimming a whole length in about six weeks and she totally lost her fear of jumping in.

Maybe she was just ready and the penny dropped all of a sudden, or it was the change to a fantastic teacher - who knows?

bruffin · 07/02/2015 19:32

I ddint learn to swim until I was 9 but was having two lessons a week (one school one private) and became a good swimmer quickly. I got my gold in less than 2 years. My 2 have had lessons from a baby until they passed their bronze medallion and then their NPLQ.
The have lovely strokes and are good strong swimmers but never interested in club swimming. They did really enjoy their lessons and missed them when they finally stopped.
I would say though that you can usually tell those who havent had lessons, they dont breathe properly and are too splashy.

dixiechick1975 · 07/02/2015 20:38

Vast difference between the swimming lessons DD had at a private pool and the ones she has now at the council pool.

private ones were £11 a lesson but only 3 or 4 in a class with instructor in water. technique corrected straight away, v hands on.

council ones are £4.50 but 8 in a class, different abilities (reason for swap DD outgrew the small private pool)

I believe the private pool lessons she had from 3.5 really got her off to a great start. She did baby swimming but I don't think this had any bearing.

Roussette · 07/02/2015 20:51

Swimming is a life skill and all children should learn. I feel very strongly about this (especially as I had a cousin who died in the sea because she couldn't swim properly so maybe I shouldn't be posting....)

My DC's had weekly lessons on and on until they could swim for a mile (they're grown up now but you never lose it)

Bunnyjo · 07/02/2015 21:24

DD started swimming lessons just before she turned 5. She is a natural and is particularly strong at backstroke and front crawl, though she is very competent at all strokes and is ASA stage 8.

When she was in year 2 she swam 1000m (her birthday is late August, so she would have been 6yo). She's now 7 and swam 1300m just before Xmas; she is aiming for a mile next time.

DS has just started swimming lessons; he is only 3 but he lacks the fearlessness that his DSis has, so I

I think swimming is an important skill to learn, but like all skills there will be children who are more adept/natural at it than others.

Bunnyjo · 07/02/2015 21:26

lost a random part of the third paragraph!

So I expect it will take him longer to progress than her.

EverySingleTime · 07/02/2015 22:10

Dd had weekly swimming lessons for over two long years and still couldn't swim a length. One week of 1-1 lessons in a half term and she got her 200m badge. Swimming is a long slog for a lot of children and parents keep at it.

muzzybee · 07/02/2015 22:20

If you have a local swimming club, then group lessons there are the way to go and better than private lessons in my opinion.

Ketchuphidestheburntbits · 07/02/2015 22:40

I found that a few private lessons helped but none of my DC could swim properly before they were around 8 years old. We are not a sporty family and as an adult I really can't coordinate hands, feet and breathing in the water, so couldn't help much.

Op, I really don't think you have anything to worry about as your DC will learn to swim eventually.

MilkRunningOutAgain · 07/02/2015 23:33

My DD started weekly lessons in a group of 8-10 at 5 and got nowhere for 2 years, though she loves the water and always wanted to go to the lessons. So we started 1:1 private lessons about a year ago and she has really improved, can now just about swim a length and can do all the strokes, though butterfly and breast stroke decidedly dodgy. She needed extra help to understand what to do, she isn't sporty and isn't a particularly strong child. I'm hoping swimming will help improve her stamina now she's got going, she's 8. As for DS I've given up for the moment, though will have another go in a few months I expect, he's 12 but afraid to put his face in the water despite many many lessons, visits to the pool with me, different teachers, etc.

GreenPetal94 · 07/02/2015 23:33

my son learnt to swim age 8 after refusing to attend lessons. He's recently taken up diving aged 11 and I notice he can actually swim now but strokes aren't great.

PlebsLeague · 08/02/2015 09:05

I used to hate swimming lessons, water splashing in my face, the noise and the smell of chlorine, so have consciously tried to get DD happy in the water from a baby. She was OK in the water, but not a water baby by any stretch of the imagination. I now pay for her to have private lessons one to one, with a lovely friendly instructor at our local pool. She still doesn't really love it, but is getting much more confident. she seems to be very low in the water though so may have bouyancy issues. My motivation is the school lessons in year 3, I want her to be happy doing those lessons, rather than petrified as I was. I was always happy under the water, just not above it really!

NoStrange · 08/02/2015 09:09

I took my children swimming a couple of times a month from babyhood. They always loved the water.

Didn't start proper swimming lessons (just local authority ones) until they were in reception. We also continue to go swimming together twice a month, although I didn't 'practice' with them...it was just messing about in the pool.

They both learned to swim very well by the age of 6 yrs old.

Thereistoomuchconfusion · 08/02/2015 09:22

My dd has been swimming lessons every week sine she was 2. She is now 6 (very nearly 7) and can swim 5m. Yes 5m I have swapped her swimming lessons around. She is a slow learner and when she 'gets' something she really gets it and swimming isn't one of these things yet. She loves it. And I figure £25/month for 1/2 an hour lesson per week is worth it as she finds it so hard it enjoys the water and its exercise too. I used to worry so much. But my daughter learns slowly. I know this now. She is a wonderful human and amazingly caring but she probably won't be the top of anything and that's cool. Because her specialty is compassion and she she is happy little girl. And it's all that matters. Sorry went off on one then. But things like swimming used to worry me so much and I now know eventually she will get it and in the mean time we will be here to support her in the water, with homework, with everything that's a struggle to her.

PlebsLeague · 08/02/2015 10:17

Thereistoomuchconfusion your DD sounds gorgeous

Ragwort · 08/02/2015 10:28

Starting 'baby swim class' at 6months - formal lessons from 3. Lots of weekend 'family' swimming time. Finally stopped lessons at age 10.

But I think a lot of it is down to 'luck' - DH and I enjoy swimming so it was an 'easy' (and relatively cheap) activitiy to do most weekends. DS just took to swimming and got on with it. It's still one of the few things we all enjoy as a family now that DS is a grumpy teenager.

But then there are loads of things we don't do as a family - we've never taken him to a theme park for example .

muzzybee · 08/02/2015 11:33

A primary schools swimming gala is held in my town. Almost all the contestants are club swimmers (ie the standard is high and only a few children can represent each school). If you want your child to be an excellent swimmer I really think joining a swimming club is the way to go. 1/2 hr lesson a week is ok for 3/4 yr olds but in our club by age 6/7 swimmers will be doing 2 sessions a week, one an hour long. At age 9 my daughter has the option of up to 5 sessions a week, two of them two hours long.

Some children must be more naturally suited to swimming as a sport than others due to their build and co-ordination. However even if you have the ideal physique you still need to put the hours in to become a really good swimmer.

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