To stop 33 month old swimming lessons?

[Melissae]

I’ve been taking ds to our local swimming pool since he was 9 months old and started lessons when he turned 16 months.

He Initially loved the lessons but the last 3 lessons it’s been a nightmare. Doesn’t listen and wants to try to swim off alone. It’s a parent and baby class so I have to hold him. He will not be held and wants to do his own thing. He’s very confident in the water. Today is his lesson and I have anxiety about taking him incase there’s another tantrum like the last lessons. He seems to be the only one who does it.

My little boy is the same and he's just turned three. He wants to be independent and to do everything himself. We found a good compromise was the use of a pool noodle. He can swim up to about ten meters now with just that. We're around him when he swims but not holding on.

We had considered lessons but they're expensive and I don't think he could learn anything from a taught session that he couldn't with us. We did try with a trial session but he just wanted to do his own thing.

Take him swimming, keep encouraging his enjoyment of the water and you'll both be fine.

DS went to baby swimming from 9 weeks and loved it. It was a progressive thing, so carried and nursery rhymes as littlies, moving on to shark fins and then lone swimming by about 2 1/2 or 3.
He did all 10 swimming stages and is very confident in the water still at nearly 16.
We live at the coast so it was really important to me he was safe.

No big deal, do what you think is best.
He’ll learn eventually.

fwiw, I hated swimming lessons but learned to swim at age 6 on the first foreign holiday we went on when mum bought me a pair of flippers. Arm bands and flippers first then ditched the arm bands because the flippers made it so easy. Then once confident, ditched the flippers ( even though they were such fun)
to prove I could swim.

DD could "swim" before starting school...

As in she past the "swimming test" (not in UK)... which was to jump in at the deep end, tread water for a minute and then get to the shaliw end. It was no actual recognisable stroke though!

They were taught how to do the arms after they could do the length of the pool. Different muscles and coordination needed.

Sorry for saying 33 month old! His lessons are aged 18-36 months so that’s why I said it. I normally say nearly 3!

🤣🤣🤣🤣
33 months ffs. Shall we count the weeks and days too?

How long are you going to say his age in months? I’m imaging you saying your 60 months old has just started school.

@BringMeSunshineAllDayLong thats the point though really. Swimming lessons aren’t a waste for three year olds. They can and do learn to swim. I’ve opted for paid as my DS listens to other people far better than to me!

My swim school don’t recommend arm bands so I wouldn’t personally use them.

I gave up on lessons when mine became frustrated with them. Have concentrated on just taking them swimming myself so they are confident in the water. Adding lessons back in at an older age when they’re more physically able. Also I’ve found 1:1 or 1:2 lessons vastly more effective - so better to save money from years of group ones for a targeted approach!

Stop. For most people baby swimming is not the "life skill" it's sold as. It's a scam.

I said 33 months as I was referring to this.

Absolute idiots on here today

Thankyou to the lovely helpful comments on here.
I have decided to cancel lessons, carry on out local pool and start again when he turns 3

I used to take DD swimming at a toddler pool. Sometimes there would be a baby "class" going on in the other half of the pool. There was nothing I couldn't do with her myself. Take your child swimming, don't worry about the lessons.
As for lessons when a bit older, I think they're all different in when they're ready for them. We used to do the half-term crash courses, and to start with it was quite clear that DD wasn't yet ready to fully understand what they were telling her about how to kick, etc. Once she seemed to be able to follow their instructions, we booked her in for regular lessons.

Take him swimming with you, and/or proper 1:1/1:2 lessons where he actually can learn to swim, at his age.

Mother and baby swimming lessons are god awful at any age but clearly aren’t suiting him now- he wants to have fun!

Or better yet when he’s 100 months old?

Well it doesn't exactly seem like an actual problem tbh. So people are questioning why you're fretting so much.

😂

When they’re 3 they can go in on their own can’t they? Stop for 3 months then try again then?

Perhaps check out the 3+ lessons. Years ago when I signed my DD up for these, instructor spent more time trying to get 3 of the 5 participants into the water whilst my DD played about with a watering can. I never rebooked the block just took her swimming myself until we found a better class .

Fretting? Asked a simple question on Mumsnet assuming other mothers have gone through something similar and could advise. So we can only ask a question and ask for advice if it’s a serious life threatening problem. Ok then.

That screenshot looks like the ‘everyone active’ app.
id just speak to the swim manager at your pool you take him to the parent and baby lesson in and ask if he can move up to the ‘preschool / stage 1’ class now.
hes practically 3 years old and while they may stick to the rules of him needing to be 36 months. They may be flexible.

my local one was when I wanted to move my youngest up a stage she was clearly ready for but technically not quite old enough.

a) you said you have anxiety about it

b) I don't recall anyone saying anything about a 'serious life threatening problem''

It's quite possible that the anxiety is taking over a bit here so do try and take a step back. Your child is very young, he doesn't need to be an enthusiastic swimmer yet. He's a baby. Kids activities are only beneficial when your baby enjoys them. Otherwise it's just upsetting both of you. Do fun things.

We re-started at 56 months after an experience like this. She’s now 135 months and a really good swimmer.

I would speak to the the teacher. They maybe able to advise.

Swimming is such a key life skill, if your child is loving the water seems a shame to stop everything. Sounds like they are just in the wrong class.

33 months is not even close to being a baby.

They're a baby! It's possible to encourage a love of the water etc without freaking out about formal lessons! I'm relatively young and didn't have formal lessons until much later on.