Is Swimming a life skill (following on from driving thread)

[girlfriend44]

Alot of people here said that driving was a life skill.

If you drive can you also swim?
Do you consider Swimming to be a life skill too that everyone should learn?

In our house swimming is a non negotiable skill. All Kids have to learn to swim. Minimum is to be able to save themselves if they found themselves in water too deep for them to stand. Ideally strong enough that they can have fun and safely enjoy water sports. Even better if they learn life saving skills and can help others if they are in difficulty.

As an ex lifeguard, I've watched children jump into water and be 3 ft from the side of the pool, but unable to reach the side so they've gone under. Happens in seconds is silent. The parents were usually within arms reach but if they weren't I'd have to rescue the kids.

I know people with all those conditions and more that affect mobility and/or balance who can ride bikes.

It takes them much longer to learn compared to the 5 minutes I've seen some kids (mostly girls) learn in.

One of the problems is - and school swimming comes under it - people expect everyone to learn these skills at an average pace. Ignoring the fact some people take to a skill immediately and learn in 5 minutes while others will take 2 years of consistent practice to learn.

I really wish my parents had insisted I learned to swim when I was a child. School swimming lessons were useless. The teacher was only interested in helping those who could a.ready swim to improve. The rest of us were just left to mess about in the shallow end. I did learn as an adult and enjoy it but only in my health club pool which doesn’t have a deep end.

I said Dutch and Danish MNers - you know, people from those countries who live in the UK and use this website. Not everyone in the Netherlands or Denmark.

Anyway my opinion is that is cycling IS crucial and if we actually took that view, we'd drive less and be less fat. You may disagree, but you don't have to be rude.

And as for saying you have to have water safety training to save people, no, if you are a very strong swimmer with the right instinct, you probably can save people. But you only need to look at the stats for the people who die every year trying to save their dogs (who usually survive as they can swim just fine) to realise that people have no concept of water safety.

Early 40s here, and can't swim. I had lessons in school, and remained unable to swim when I left. Like a few other people that have commented, I just sink. My parents tried to teach me too, but it just left me traumatised about getting into water. Even now, I struggle to get my face wet.

I don't see it the same as driving. Me not swimming does not mean someone else has to swim for me, or that I rely on other people being able to swim. I don't go near bodies of water and have no interest in wanting to be able to.

I am laughing at the comment about not having a bath if you can't swim. Ridiculous!

Of course swimming is a life skill!

I am not a particularly strong swimmer and I don't really swim for fun, but I know what to do in water - for example, breathe out through my nose, follow the bubbles if underwater, and float, rather than thrash about and panic.

That wee bit of knowledge might save or prolong my life one day.

I think all parents should make sure their children are able to swim, ride a bike and drive a car. I think they’re basic life skills.

Oh, and I can drive (, passed my test at 19, also have a commercial Cat 1 licence), ride a bike and change a washer in a tap.

I'm not saying all of those skills are vital, but I am always genuinely astonished by how many MNers seem to be so utterly fucking useless at basic stuff (usual disclaimer: disabilities aside).

Swimming an 100% required life skill in my eyes (assuming person is capable, of course).

Driving, not so much. Would be great if public transport was better and cheaper, and infrastructure for cycling was better in the UK, but I know plenty of people who don't drive and cope fine. Not being able to drive isn't going to kill you like not being able to swim might.

OK, I think I'm probably in the minority here but I can drive and can't really swim at all beyond basic treading water. I am pretty dependent on my car, especially since having kids, but that's probably because I live in a semi rural location - think country roads and no footpaths...

Swimming could save my life but I never had the chance to learn when I was at school and I've never really been able to afford lessons as an adult or had the time. I also would only feel comfortable in a women's only class and they're very uncommon around my area.

Tbh, driving is something I have to do all the time but it's very rare - maybe once a year - that I would be near open water like the sea. When I do go to the beach, I just stay very very close to the shore line and barely dip my toes in tbh. I've never really had the urge to jump in and swim.

Having said that, if and when my young kids get the chance to learn, I would definitely want them to have the skill.

Has anyone tried to book adult swimming lessons? It's impossible where I am. I contacted a local school 4 years ago and they were full and had closed their waiting list. I was told to email "in a few months". Learnt my lesson when they were full again and asked what date applications would open. Set up an email to send at 9am that day and they were already full. Then covid happened and they stopped lessons. I got in touch again last week, they're full for the next term and the waiting list is closed. I wish my parents could have afforded swimming lessons when I was younger. School wasn't interested and turfed me out to the baby pool because all the other children were already able to swim (I moved here when I was 8).

I think being able to swim is more important.