To ask if your children can swim? Is it important to you?

[Lionking1981]

Do you class swimming as important? We spend 100 a month on swimming lessons for our two sometimes leaving us short. My two were swimming with their cousins on holiday recently.My brother pointed out how much we all spent on swimming lessons and remarked none of them are great swimmers. They are 8,7,6 and 5. All in swimming lessons since they were 4. They can swim but we couldnt take our eyes off any one of them such is our confidence in their ability. Me and dbro were left in swimming pools by ourselves for hours from age 9. I have always thought it was essential and budget for it, going without other things.My class teacher told me probably only 50% of their 8 year olds can swim. Do you believe that is right?

[Blimey01]

Yes massively important although I do question how long it seems to take. I'm pretty sure when I was at school ( a long time ago!) we didn't have endless weekly lessons for years. I think they deliberately stretch them out too much.

[limitedperiodonly]

You never know if you could be in water unexpectedly. It's important to know how to float/swim/survive. Could be as extreme as a car crash in water/ plane crash, or accidentally falling in a pool on holiday. Or helping someone who's done similar.

I'm not saying that swimming isn't a good idea for fun and fitness, but it is unlikely to help in a disaster scenario. If you fall into a pool on holiday, there are invariably other people around to fish you out. I've done it to a little boy to a round of applause. it's not a life skill Heebejeebees

Being able to swim well is good. Staying away from water if you can't is also good. Being over confident is a disaster

[TanteJeanne]

Yes- swimming is a priority for my kids. As well as water safety angle, it's great for health and fitness. Primary school only offer 12 lessons over 7 years, so out of school lessons are a must. I only pay £4 a lesson though, in council leisure centre. I'd be expecting 1:1 lessons for the price you mention!
There's just one child I'm aware of in DC2's year (year5) who can't swim yet.

[thirdDozen]

I think it's very important. Mine (3 and 7) can swim. They started weekly lessons from around 6 months. Our 3 year old swam 25m last week although a bit of a fluke.

Their school has twice-weekly aquatics lessons separate from PE for all children in Y1 and up and the 7 year old has a training lesson once a week after school.

If they can swim a length and are happy and confident in the water then that's fine by me. If they want more then I'll support that but I think confidence and safety needs to be a minimum.

Are you sure you couldn't take your eyes off them OP? When did you last actually need to 'rescue' on of them?

[Laura2507]

There's a suspicion that there is a serial killer about, pushing people, especially young men into Canals. The numbers have been to great to be accidents in certain spots.

@Birdsgottaf1y

You must live in Manchester area then!!

[MumsGoneToIceland]

I think learning to swim is very important and know my mum regrets not be able to swim when she goes on holiday or has the DC for a few days and thats an activity she would like to do with them.

However, I know exactly where you are coming from with swimming lessons. We have spent a fortune on lessons over the years and don't find the group lessons as effective as I expected. It's seems to take forever to get them to a point of swimming without aids.

I have often thought that if I had more dc, would it be better to take them to the pool regularly myself instead of lessons when they were young and teach them myself. Then once they start to swim without aids either send them to group lessons or have a few private lessons plus week long intensive courses in the holidays to teach them the technique.

[newfor2017]

My main concern was that mine could swim enough that if they fell in without armbands / woggles, they could get to the side and get themselves out.

They've achieved that a differing ages; we have 4 DC and they managed it at 5, 4, 2 and we have a 3.5 year old that still can't do it.

The child that started swimming at 5 had no lessons. The child that started swimming at 4 did Waterbabies - this is a very expensive activity and I really don't think it made any difference to his ability to swim well. The one that started swimming at 2 (almost 3) did Waterbabies and then from 2 until she was 3 she had private lessons - I think this is what made the difference. The lessons were the same price as Waterbabies - I mainly started her doing private lessons because I had surgery and couldn't to in the pool for 6 - 8 weeks.

I decided after that not to do Waterbabies with our youngest. She's 3.5 and has just started group swimming lessons, twice a week.

Our oldest is now a competent swimmer - I wouldn't go any further than that and she's not interested in having lessons - she can manage all the strokes but not with a lot of style. DS8 has 3 lessons a week and is a brilliant swimmer. DD6 who started swimming unaided when she was 2 has 2 lessons a week now and tbh is quite crap but she enjoys the lessons.

I'm not sure the lessons made much difference to any of them except DS8 who is obviously a natural. His crawl and breaststroke are simply beautiful as is his diving. These are skills he has learned through lessons but he wouldn't have got this good unless he had some innate aptitude.

I'd jack the lessons in if I were you OP unless your kids really love them.

[llangennith]

Yes it's an important life skill and social skill too. If you're not a strong swimmer you can't really do any water sports like surfing or waterskiing.
Keep up the lessons but also take them swimming yourself so they get to practise their swimming and have fun.

[Nquartz]

DD started lessons at 3, 2 year later she still cant really swim but she is on a par with some of the others in her class so I not worried yet. as PP have said its the one activity I won't let her stop.
I'm not a very strong swimmer so I want her to be better than me.

[Chrisinthemorning]

DS is nearly 5 and can swim 10m without arm bands now. He has had weekly swimming lessons since he was just over 3. We also did water babies for a bit but that was a bit of a disaster.
His school take them swimming weekly as well which I think is crazy in reception.
Swimming is an important life skill for us because we like hot pool based holidays. I was a keen swimmer as a child and teen and would like DS to enjoy it - so far he loves it!

[Chrisinthemorning]

To add - my Dad can't swim and really regrets it so I want DS to be a good swimmer for him.
I can't ride a bike and we have made a lot of effort to try and teach DS and he can now ride, just.

[Mummyoflittledragon]

Dd is nearly 9. She's been having lessons for 3 years in a small group of 4. I think we will be stopping soon. She is very competent.

[GinIsIn]

We live on the coast, only about 10 mins walk from the sea so for me it's an absolute essential that DS learns to swim. I'm a strong swimmer, and started lessons at 4. DH's parents didn't think it important, with the result that he's a poor swimmer and he isn't always confident on holiday etc. Neither of us want that for DS.

[newfor2017]

I've just worked out we're paying just over £1500 a year OP but we have 4 kids doing 8 lessons a week between them.

Sounds like you're paying an awful lot.

[EezerGoode]

I taught all mine(4) to swim myself...didn't have the money for lessons.bought a book ,and did it myself...had swimming lessons at school ,but they could swim by then..we just went every Sunday morning.

[BertrandRussell]

Swimming lessons are almost invariably a massive con. I cannot imagine any other circumstances where people would carry on paying for lessons in something for years with no progress. It's utterly bizarre!

[Mummyoflittledragon]

Bertrand

Not all lessons are a con. Dd is in a small group so pretty individual and the instructor is in the water, even with adults. Big groups with the teacher at the side, barking orders doesn't work for some children and those children will not progress and thrive in this environment.

[TrollMummy]

Stick with the lessons OP or maybe just consider a different swim school if you're unhappy with progress. They will get better it just takes time. Just things like being safe in the pool and happy with having your face in water, being able to swim to the side and safely climb out are good basic skills for little ones. The technique will follow but it does take time.

I witnessed two near drownings on holiday last year where kids that couldn't swim properly got into difficulty in the pool while mucking around trying to keep up with others that could swim. It was properly terrifying seeing a child struggle and go under and thankfully lifeguards were there to help. Lessons are non negotiable in this house.

[user1492287253]

I do think its important. I didnt learn as a child and cant swim out of my depth though. I paid a fortune on lessons with my older dds and spent years sat next to pools. With dd3 she went in the pool on holiday from tiny with her big sisters..i never did lessons until she was 7 and then i paid £15 for half hour 121 lessons. After 6 of theses she could confidently swim a length and be out of her depth

[LellyMcKelly]

Yes, both did lessons for 5 years. DD is a very good swimmer, DS is not interested, but is proficient enough to swim a few lengths reasonably competently.

[Twooter]

Doesn't the Op have 4 kids? So it is £24 each Wondermoomin.

[toomuchtooold]

Twooter I read that as the 4 kids being herd and DBs as they were all on holiday together. But yeah if it's for 4 kids that's not even that bad!

[user1471432735]

Yes. I'm Australian and started swimming lessons when I was three and progressed to squad swimming when I was 8.

We had a pool and spent half our life in it or at the beach.

My niece and nephew both started water familiarisation classes at about 2 and a half (very very common here) and proper lessons at 4. My sister has said they will be the one activity she insists on them keeping until they finish primary school

School lessons start here in grade prep
It's also illegal to have a pool that is not securely fenced and you face huge fines and potentially criminal prosecution if you get caught not complying.

Pretty much everyone I grew up with had the same experience and is following the same process with their kids

[ineedamoreadultieradult]

It is important but doesn't have to cost £100 a month. Teach them yourself. Now they.can swim it's all about building stamina etc. I live near the sea. My 10 year old can swim and is now training as a junior lifeguard. My 7 year old can swim in his own fashion he hasn't yet done 25 metres in a single stroke he swaps and changed about breaststroke arms with front crawl legs etc sobhe is never going to excell in swimmimg lessons but he qould be able to get himself out of trouble.

[OhDearToby]

My dd is 7 and can swim pretty well. She's never had a lesson, we just taught her ourselves. Obviously I wouldn't throw her in the deep end and not watch her but she can swim a good distance unaided (she has done 8 lengths before). Her technique is erm...interesting though.

It's important to me in that i think it's just one of those things you have to learn as a child. Same as riding a bike.