Young kids swimming and cycling

[parentingsos]

Aibu to wonder how often your young children swim and cycle? We do both but not at the level or frequency I remember as a child and I always question should we be doing more or is life just different for kids now.

@Hellocatshome 12 hours a week?! When does he have time for homework or socialising or relaxing?

DS spent the entire summer at daycamo where they use the outdoor pool daily for two hours. Also went again in the evening and weekend. Both kids will restart swim lessons 1 x per week end September.

We bike loads, but obviously more in summer. 3x a week, after dinner etc.

5 yr old normally cycles the school but it’s not far. Swimming lesson weekly and we were doing a weekly family swim.

@shouldistop well the people he socialises with are all at swimming as well so if he didn't go he still wouldn't see them. As for homework he has just started Y7 so up until now it hasn't been an issue, especially as we haven't had any proper school for a long time. But depending on how heavy the year 7 homework turns out to be it may have to be reassessed.

@Hellocatshome
Dc is 9. They swim 3hours per week and then have a land based training session for 1 hour. There is an option to do another swimming session but not required. 3 evenings a week is more than enough for dc. 12 hours is way too much. I think the 'gold squad' train 6 days per week, but they're older and more experienced.

4.5 year old swims once a week, but not a lesson and cycles about 4 times a week, maybe less now he’s started school.

2.5 year old swims once a week, again not a lesson and cycles on his balance bike most days he’s not at nursery, so 4 days!

I'm 55...rarely swam as a child, my middle school had a unheated small pool so only the few weeks a year we had 'lessons' .my DM couldn't swim and never took me. I actually learnt to swim aged 40. I cycled out on my own or with friends from about 8-9..from about 10 went on 'days out' taking a picnic.. pretending I was Famous Five
My own DC, now in their 30s, I took swimming from babies but lessons weren't really a thing..only some kids in their classes did them..they had regular trips to the local baths in year 5/6 with school. They all had bikes but were never really into cycling in the same way as I was even though they could have. I think their friends didn't have bikes or weren't allowed out without adults.

DD1 (9) swims 3 times a week. Private lessons, swim club and school lessons.

DD2 (7) swims once a week - private lessons.

I hate swimming pools, so rarely take them swimming for 'fun'.

They probably go out on their bikes twice a month.

Swimming at least weekly since tiny babies, lessons from 2 when they were able to enroll. Big break with covid but now back ok.
Cycling since they could get on a balance bike, did go-ride for a while but not been back since lockdown. They get on bikes for fun every few days, important they're competent to cycle on roads.
Both important life skills that are simpler to embed from baby/toddlerhood than teach to six year olds imo. Other things (martial arts, crafts, parkrun) now coming in too. But aware of privilege that we can afford all these and the travel time and cost.

They need at least 60 minutes if proper exercise per day so not just pottering around the house. Running, climbing, park, bike, swimetc

[quote Hellocatshome]@spooney21 do you mind me asking how old your DC are? I'm beginning to wonder if our competitive swimming club is expecting too much as DS has been swimming 12 hours a week since he was 9 and you are not the first to say their swim club asks for far fewer hours.[/quote]
That is insane. DD1's swim club have their highest level 'performance' swimmers (teens competing at a national level) doing 9.5hrs/wk plus land training. They may well swim more by choice/as fun family-type swims, but that's it from an enforced perspective. A 9yo would likely be in the group doing 3hrs/wk, but if exceptional could be in the next group doing 4.5hrs. 12hrs is utterly unreasonable. Not only does it leave no room to be a normal 9yo, it is running the risk of taking all the fun out of it/causing a crash and burn. I would be looking to see if there are any other clubs in your area.

Grew up without learning to swim or ride a bike - still can’t. Both DC have had private swimming lessons once a week during term time and learned to ride their (hand me down) bikes themselves within hours. The bikes especially were good for lockdown and stopped them from getting into a rut.