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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask at which age you told your children how to swim?

113 replies

Flyingfish2019 · 19/02/2019 19:33

?

OP posts:
SoyDora · 19/02/2019 19:36

I never told them how to swim, they have lessons.
DD1 did waterbabies from 7 weeks but started proper lessons at 3. She is 5 now and can swim lengths.
DD2 is 3.5 and also started when she turned 3. She is just starting to swim independently.

Biancadelrioisback · 19/02/2019 19:37

Took DS to swim lessons at 5 months

Thehogfatherstolemycurry · 19/02/2019 19:37

Started lessons for them all at about age 4.
Took them swimming with me from being babies.

Original poster
Flyingfish2019 · 19/02/2019 19:38

*taught them how to swim

OP posts:
my2bundles · 19/02/2019 19:40

Took them swimming as babies. They learnt to swim with me and could by the time they where 3. They also had lessons age 5 there was no starting age it just happened naturally.

Trillis · 19/02/2019 19:40

I always took them swimming from a very young age, but the oldest to start proper lessons did so at age 5, the younger two started at age 3.

We did have a couple of years where they could only swim in lessons though, as DH couldn't come with us and we couldn't meet the pools required adult/child ratios with 1 of me and 3 of them.

CherryPavlova · 19/02/2019 19:41

Mine always could. They swam from about three weeks and just kept going. Lessons from about four to start learning strokes and building stamina.

Hoolahoophop · 19/02/2019 19:41

About 6 months I think. Lessons that is. Were able to swim a length of proper backstroke and a half paddle half crawl without any help before 4 years. Our swim school was amazing, both heaps of fun and they learnt loads.

Youmadorwhat · 19/02/2019 19:42

My DD is nearly 6 and can swim lengths in the deep end and tread the water etc. my 3 yr old is comfortable in the water but wears a swim fin. He will start the same swim lessons as DD when he turns 4. Swimming is an ESSENTIAL in my eyes and they have no choice in the matter. We live in a coastal town and we are actually next to a lake too so it’s a necessity.

Stompythedinosaur · 19/02/2019 19:43

I took them swimming from being babies, then they went to a preschool lesson from 3ish. Both could swim well by 4yo.

PumpkinPie2016 · 19/02/2019 19:43

DS started lessons at 3 but he had been just with me from being younger. He's 5 now and still has lessons but swims unaided. He enjoys lessons and will build stroke technique etc as he progresses. Plus it's good exercise!

DorothyZbornak · 19/02/2019 19:44

I tried to learn a few years ago in my thirties. I just CANNOT do it. My parents never bothered trying to teach me or getting me lessons as a child. So bloody stupid.
Everyone should learn how to swim as a small child. I'm sure it's much easier then.

Original poster
Flyingfish2019 · 19/02/2019 19:46

So you all took them to swimming lessons? Do you think it is possible to teach them yourselves because this is what we are planning. They already have so many scheduled activities.

OP posts:
Sleepthiefismyfavourite · 19/02/2019 19:47

My dd is 2 days old and can swim 20 lengths Grin

RandomMess · 19/02/2019 19:47

Mine all had lessons when they were young, none of them can swim far at all. Two of them have had lessons as teens and accomplished much more fairly quickly. The one with dyspraxia has struggled. It is persevering.

hidinginthenightgarden · 19/02/2019 19:47

It is possible if you can commit to it regularly. If you aren't doing it every week, maybe a little less they aren't going to progress much.

halfwitpicker · 19/02/2019 19:47

Since babyhood really. They're both having lessons.

SoyDora · 19/02/2019 19:48

Yes I’m sure you can teach them yourselves, I just don’t have the patience and would rather let someone else do it.

SummerHouse · 19/02/2019 19:49

Mine were swimming in the womb but I guess they first learned as sperm.

Once born they got lazy.

Probably started lessons aged 4 and 6.

One thing I just didn't realise is that they don't learn in arm bands. Sounds silly now but we took them a lot and with arm bands on they think they can swim but they only learn a false confidence. Seems obvious now!

IWonderedLonelyAsACloud · 19/02/2019 19:51

I started dd7's swimming lessons at 4. She does half an hour per week through my local leisure centre. Will do the same with dd2. Before that, swimming was just for fun. Dd7 has one more stage to go until she has completed the stages. She is a great little swimmer.

Weepingwillows12 · 19/02/2019 19:51

My ds started water babies but hated it. We started taking him regularly at 4/5 for fun and he started lessons properly at 5. I don't think I could teach him. One, because I am not the greatest swimmer myself technique wise, and two, because he messes around with me but concentrates properly in lessons. If you are a good swimmer, know how to teach someone and has a child that will pay attention then go for it.

WallisFrizz · 19/02/2019 19:52

They were taken regularly for fun as babies. Formal swimming lessons from 3 for Ds and 4 for DD.

Despite doing this I actually think that lessons could have started later, maybe 5-6. Everything they learned before this, we could have done ourselves.

ShowOfHands · 19/02/2019 19:53

Unlike most MNers, I never took my DC swimming.

They learned at school and are both competent swimmers.

Youmadorwhat · 19/02/2019 19:54

@Flyingfish2019. Yes I’m sure you can, if you know how to “teach” swimming. Do you know the terms used? Methods that help children? The steps needed to build on from the beginning? It’s not a matter of getting in the water and saying ok “ do this with your arms, kick your legs and don’t forget to breath” there’s a lot more to it! It’s little steps. And even if you do know how to swim it for mean you can teach it easily! Not trying to be negative or rude. I’m just stating facts.

Lovingbenidorm · 19/02/2019 19:55

Took the eldest 2 from a very young age, they also had swimming at school.
Youngest was thrown back and forth between eldest 2 in pool on holiday
They got further and further apart getting deeper all the time
I couldn’t watch but she was a confident swimmer by 3yo 😉