To be annoyed at parents at swimming lessons

[daffodil10]

Returned to swim lessons after half term and have a new batch of over protective parents. A couple of them are hovering on the edge of the pool on the verge of jumping in, while the teachers try to teach. If you can't sit in the seating area and let the teachers get on with it go and have a coffee. The children are safe, the teachers are in the pool and there's life guards - they are not going to drown rant over !

Op totally get what you say. Ds had two newbies start in his seim class who were cousins. Both sets if parents on poolside. No child got a look in that day. Apparently both could swim on holiday so parents were insistent on lots of turns to prove this. Instructor was so caught up in the drama of it all that my son had 1 go across the pool. Thankfully they never came back.

But riceuten if the OP hasn't spoken to the parents, how would she know if the child has additional needs?

There was one other parent that joined DD's group and used to sit next to me at the pool edge to be close to her son - guess what? She wasn't an overprotective loon either - turns out he had ASD too, it's not that unusual. Nor, sadly are the looks, the whispering and the judgements. If the instructors haven't asked parents to move its probably for a very good reason - and no one else's business.

The best move we made was switching ds to 1to1 classes. Yes they are eyewatering at about 3 times the cost of his 8to1, but the register takes no time compared to 'ok let's get started, oh wait a minute here comes Josh, late again, might as well wait so I don't need to say it twice, oh yes that school trip does sound interesting Violet, Sammy you need to put your hat back on etc.'

Once in the pool it is all tailored to him, if his breaststroke is weaker then they work on that more and less diving to pick up sticks. He swims for the whole 30 mins rather than standing shivering at one end for half of it (so actually half the cost of the lessons was to watch other dc swim), this also builds his stamina more. If he doesn't understand or can't hear anything he can ask or the teacher will notice rather than his old approach of watching and trying to copy the others. He has his own lane so no more collisions. If he is ill or we are away we just ring and cancel, no money lost. Best of all the pool is really quiet and no disturbing parents because I go for a drink and leave him and his teacher to it.

I wouldn't be surprised if the progress was 3 times faster particularly for ds who isn't very co-ordinated so other than needing the cash now it is no more expensive and more satisfying than group lessons. We might go back when he is level7/8 and can swim competently but just wants the medals and is building up stamina. Wish I had done it with his sisters.

My eldest dd got into difficulty during a swimming lesson.
She was the last one to go, swimming the length of the big pool back towards the changing area. She was in the middle of the pool, not near the side, so nowhere to rest.
The instructor and lifeguard made thier way off poolside. I was stood up on the balcony praying for her to make it, seriously contemplating whether I could jump off the balcony without injury to rescue her if need be.
The poor kid was absolutely distraught by the time I got to the changing room.
The instructor and lifeguards had a full on rant from me, we were reimbursed for the whole course and I never darkened their door again.
Thankfully, they had a policy change after this. If somebody is in the pool, neither the instructor or guard can leave poolside.

So I have sympathy for anxious parent's.

A few months ago I was poolside on the benches with my dsis watching my DN aged 3 in a lesson where the ratio was 2 kids to 1 instructor, with instructors in the water with children. Pretty good you'd think. DN was holding onto the side ( in the water- a policy decision as the children were previously to sit on the side but were apparently freezing) while the teacher took another child on a very short swim. Within moments DN had slipped under the water and no one noticed, the lifeguard who was poolside was distracted doing admin. My Dsis spotted DN under the water and was up like a shot and round to alert the staff and lifeguard who then got DN out of the water. She was in shock but ok, but it should never have happened and Dsis and I were very very upset. The swimming school were very apologetic and sacked the lifeguard. ( not something we requested). So I would never take my eyes off my wee ones even in a well staffed session, I learned a valuable lesson that day. However I wouldn't dream of disrupting lessons unless I felt strongly that my wee ones were at risk.

That's awful lurkin

And angel

I think in some places the lifeguards don't watch, are distracted or can't see the whole pool. I think some teachers are more experienced than others with watching their charges. From my own experience, there have been times mine have been in danger, completely unnoticed by the teacher or lifeguard.

I think you are naïve to believe your dc are completely safe myself and go off for a coffee. I would be within running distance myself, following my experience of many years of swimming lessons. One of mine was very put off after nearly drowning.

Parents have to stay in the balconies at ours

My DD when a lot younger (3 or 4) wouldn't go in the pool unless I went in with her. I spoke to the management at leisure centre to say we'll leave it until she's older but they wouldn't refund me for the terms worth of lessons I'd paid. They suggested I go in with her. Id have rather stuck pins in my eyes quite frankly but she needed to learn to swim and given I didn't want to lose £60 odd quid, I felt I had no choice.

Maybe their kids scream the changing room down unless their parents promise to go in with them too!

Whatever, those parents can do that all they like. Lots of kids in pools, some crying, some yours, and at some time perhaps they've had to pull a child - or adult - out of a pool half drowned, and they don't want a repeat. You just don't know, do you?

At my DS's swimming lessons at the moment parents have to sit in the poolside seats and are not allowed on the front row as they get in the way! (There is only a narrow space poolside and teachers need to walk along it.) However some parents occasionally get special permission to sit on the front row or poolside if their child is particularly nervous, but only with the teacher's permission and they are not allowed to fuss.
They will move to a new pool soon where parents will have to go to the viewing area during lessons. (Though I assume there will still be the special consessions if needed.)

As for the shower situation - We always have DS have a quick shampoo and body wash as he goes straight to other activities afterwards, but we don't do the 'full' wash - well, not usually, though this week he did as our shower at home is broken and awaiting repair and we don't have a bath!

I was the opposite. Laid back and enjoyed an hour sitting down watching from the balcony. Until I had to shout loud from that balcony when I saw my dd was sinking quietly and neither instructor noticed!
Scared me and my dd and she has refused swimming lessons ever since.
I taught her myself after that.

When ds went to swimming we had to make sure they were changed and at poolside on time. Then we had to make ourselves scarce to the cafe. Last week of the month we were allowed to watch but had to sit in the seats set back from the pool.