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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To change swimming instructors (again!)

2 replies

secular39 · 03/04/2022 13:43

My eldest DS, who is now, 12 has attended these amazing but highly expensive swimming lessons for the past 5 years.
We were fortunate to have an amazing swimming coach who really excelled DS despite his difficulties (DS has dyspraxia and ADHD) but he left and since then had a few swimming coaches who DS hasn't really clicked with.

Due to DS difficulties, I feel that the swimming instructors we have had have been a bit lazy (not teaching the proper technique, not correcting him, not really pushing him) and he has been on the same level for three terms.

We have this new swimming instructor, who I felt was really good at first but I've noticed she has become a bit lazy. The technique that DS wanted to get right was the backstroke technique- butterfly, front crawl and dolphin are fine but this is the swimming technique that has stopped DS progressing forward. What he does is when he kicks his legs for the backstroke, he tends to kick them as if he is riding a bike and hence he sinks down into the water.

Anyhow, the way this swimming company works is that they do correction techniques, when a child is kicking heir legs like a bicycle. They prompt the child to kick with their legs straight and put their hand over their knees to stop them from locking. This particular swimming instructor does not do this and hence he has now developed a bad habit to kicking his legs like a bicycle.

I asked the swimming instructor if she could prompt him more and give me some ideas of how I could help DS when we go swimming. She just told me that there's nothing that she can do and she cannot force him and that due to his difficulties it would be hard for him anyway. However, when DS attended a crash course, run by a different instructor, who did carry out those prompts as I mentioned above, he perfected the backstroke but what happens is after the crash course and he goes back to the same swimming instructor, he goes backwards as she does not continue on with implementing the techniques to support him.

I just don't know what to do.

OP posts:
TeenPlusCat · 03/04/2022 13:47

I'd wonder whether it is really worth continuing with lessons now he is 12. You could continue swimming for fun which will be good for the dyspraxia and can the lessons if he is now safe in the water.

secular39 · 03/04/2022 13:55

We want to keep up with the lessons as not only has he met great friends, but it has helped him with his confidence. DS would like to take his swimming seriously and be part of a swim squad and he has been offered in the past (which I have deeply regretted now) but wanted him to finish the level 7 or & (?£ (he is on level 6 equivalent).

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