To not bother with swimming lessons for DS yet?

[ThreadLasso]

DS has just turned 4. Had a couple of swimming lessons a few months ago but the teacher left and we couldn't make the alternative time offered (too late in evening).

He's been on a waiting list for weekend lessons since. He's now been offered a place but it's for the 8am class. Sometimes he's awake really early but sometimes he's still asleep at 7, so feel like it would often be a battle and a rush to get there. I also have a baby DD so me or DH would have to take DS, and the other entertain DD at home, meaning neither adult could have a lie in.

But he's 4 and can't swim, so don't know if I should be concerned about this and do whatever it takes to get him into lessons?

Or is it ok not to bother until a more convenient time comes up? Or maybe when he's in school just do some intensive courses? And in the interim just take him swimming for fun?

AIBU to say no to the 8am lesson?

I think it's fine and would rather have it early so the rest of the weekend is free. I also think swimming is a crucial skill so would prioritise it. Could you start in the 8am class and remain on the waiting list for a later time.

If a baby is in the water on it's own, no amount of swimming lessons are going to help. Supervision is what is needed. Personally, I think baby swim classes are a rort. They get just as much water experience in the bath at 6 weeks, the paddle pool at 6 months. After that take them swimming with you if you think it's appropriate for your area or house. They still won't be able to swim until at the very earliest 3yo , more likely 6yo. Children need watching around water!
My youngest just had a pool party , they were all 11yo. I still counted heads constantly. We never let them unsupervised for a second.

While DS could not swim at 18 months (or now!) he can get to the side and hold on.

However it is worth mentioning that strong swimmers are perversely more likely to drown (they take risks non swimmers don’t) so it’s not an automatic life saver.

8 am is just too much!

For now, take him to the pool yourself and just get him gently used to being in the water. He will get swimming lessons at school.

Swimming lessons for very small children is the biggest scam since bottled water.

But he won’t be in the 8am forever as he improves he’ll move up a group. But unless you start that won’t happen.

FWIW I’ve never had to get in with mine.

I’ve done 9 years of swimming lessons since they were 3 years old. Swimming is a life skill, so yes I’d take him but also be on the waiting list for other classes.

School swimming lessons are a waste of time, and in our school they go for one term in year 5. It’s not worth it.

Not in the least unreasonable to postpone. Mn has a bit of a bee in its bonnet about swimming lessons being the one non-negotiable life-skill, but the fact is that, aged four, he shouldn’t be anywhere near water without adult supervision, so doesn’t need it as a potentially life-saving skill yet. DS had about a million swimming lessons but only finally cracked it aged 11, which didn’t prevent him doing various water sports, sailing etc courses.

I would say try again at a later time, but try to get him confident before they start going with school.

There are many reasons not to take up the option of an 8.00 am swimming lesson, but prioritising a lie in is a pretty poor one. Going to bed early is an opportunity to catch up on sleep.

We went for the 8am lesson back in the day.
It worked well. DH would take LO for breakfast afterwards.
You may be waiting a long time for a "better" time which then may clash with something else.

Kids are all about sacrifice, haven't had a lie for 17 yrs!
and 8am is not that early, you could take the baby with you

Taking him swimming for fun in the meantime is what I’d do. He may well get the hang of some sort of swimming anyway - being happy in the water is IMO the main thing - proper strokes can come later.
Thanks to our circumstances at the time, both dds swam at 2 - a sort of tadpole wriggle, often underwater - and by 3 were like baby dolphins, but they didn’t have lessons until 6 - when they very quickly got the hang of proper strokes.

Once they both have different activities then I guess it'll have to stop! We shower at night not in the mornings 99% of the time so the showering thing isn't really relevant to us but we don't tend to have much screaming or fighting until we're trying to get out of the door, at which point it doesn't tend to be going on long enough to disturb sleeping parent (especially given we use white noise and the bedroom is at the back of the house). Remember my children are 1 and 4 so while yes they fight it isn't the same level as I know it will be when they're 4 and 6 so can easily be left for a few min without fighting atm.

"I wouldn't choose lazing around in bed over my childs life. I'm not saying this to be dramatic or shame you"

LOL, of course you're not.