To have asked for Ds to move up to next swimming group??

[Nemo2007]

Ds has been able to swim 10-15m withouth armbands for the last 6wks or so. Went for his lesson today and one of the mums says oh """ is moving into the next group next week. Now """ was the 5th child to move up who is less confident than ds and only able to swim the same distance, only difference is that DS is 3.10yrs and these other children are 5,6,7 in age.So I go outside and ask bloke who runs the whole thing why """ is moving up but ds isnt able to and he says he isnt ready, so I ask him why he isnt ready and his reply is he needs TLC while swimming. Now as far as I can see from watching DS basically swims widths back and forth while instructor is dealing with the little ones who are screaming in fear. So I asked his instructor at the end of the session and he said he didnt think DS was confident enough, so I said ok thats fine but he seems pretty confident to me[as he jumps in with no aids, will swim 10-15m can swim a length is someone is in front of him etc etc] so then the instructor replies well he is confident and he listens to what you say so we will move him up to the next group.

Now is it just me or should he have been moved a while ago?

or am I just a pushy mum

I have just had similar with dd2 cos she was youngest (and looked it ) , I have just taken her out and moved pools cos she started to get bored.

Difficult one. Most of that age aren't ready to move up either in ability to swim or to listen and follow instructions. You may also find the ratio and methods a little less than ideal for younger ones. dd is just moving up and I think she could have done so a term earlier but staying has been good for her confidence and she has done an intensive course at the new level which has developed her further so she hopefully won't be the smallest/weakest in the group .

It is tricky. Generally I wouldn't say anything, as Lizs says often staying down for an extra term does wonders for their confidence and skills.

But sometimes the instructors do miss something, and you do have to speak up.

In fact once I actually asked for ds2 to be moved down a group as I thought he'd been promoted too early. The instructor agreed, and actually he then stayed down for that term and another term as well before he was ready to move up.

well, if he moves up and isn't ready for it he may lose confidence. Perhaps they have looked at his age before how well he is doing and thought he should stay put for now?
He's still very young, I would leave him be at lease for the current term.

will see how he does in the next group. It doesnt work in terms they just move as and when

oh, ours go with the school terms

not there are no breaks in this one, carried on right over holidays etc.