Swimming

[marigoldsareblooming]

I spent thousands on swimming lessons for my kids and they were terrible swimmers. I was told there was something wrong with one of my children so sent them with ear plugs the following week
I bought a house with a pool and that made a difference. I could not sit one more minute in the humid, overheated pool in our suburb . Two of the kids did the holiday programme , every day for 5 days a week for 2 weeks. That was great. They were swimming well by the end of those 10 days.
AIBU to not take my youngest to ridiculous swimming lessons - especially as they start from babies or something .. So he would be old now at 12yo. We have moved it's not a 15m lap pool like our old place it's about 8metres but as much as I tell him to get in with me , he just isnt keen.
Anyone with a pool who has coaxed in a reluctant swimmer ( obvs I am inn southern hemisphere and it is very hot this almost summer)

Why not do the holiday club for your youngest too if it worked well for the others?

We have moved , regionally, and they don't exist here. Ta for your answer though

TBH I haven't checked!

Both of my kids have started lessons at the age of 5/6 and learnt very quickly and overtaken their peers who started lessons a lot younger. One of their friends started lessons at 4 months old and goes weekly but is still 2 stages behind my child. Same for a few others who started at the age of 2 or 3.

I understand with a pool at home you may want them to start younger than that, could you employ a swim instructor to come to your house to teach them?

Hire a private teacher to teach your youngst at your pool?

Well it depends really. Leaning to swim is vital in case you accidentally fall in water. Quite a number of people drown this way and it often peoole doing other activities such as running or walking along a canal.

DC2 gave up swimming lessons at age 6. They could swim about 10m or so, which is not enough. However; I did know that DC2 liked going to the pool, I was happy to take them regularly and they would certainly improve because they were a natural athlete. I was correct in my assumptions - so correct in fact that DC2 is now a lifeguard!

Far out, at 12 I would be spending the money to give him private lessons or check your pool program for next term (February) and see if they do adults lessons of an evening. Check the pool/council website.

He needs to know how to swim. He is growing into a teenage boy and we all know they can do some stupid shit which isn’t good around water. Because you can bet the one thing he will never say to his mates is “I’m not doing that because I can’t swim”.

Do they have 121 lessons where you are? Thats how we got DS into it - yes it’s pricey but better value that millions of group lessons where they don’t learn anything.

DS now does club swimming.

I agree with PPs - all children need to learn to swim - being the youngest in the family doesn’t mean they need to swim any less!

I taught my DS age 4-5. at local pool. I would have paid for classes but he wasn't interested. Enjoyed swimming with me - was quickly great at treading water while playing pass, diving in, duck diving to retrieve things from the bottom of the deep end, and swims like a fish under water. Unfortunately, he refuses to take instruction re swimming strokes. He's 14 now, and I wish he'd gone to classes. He has his own, aherm, interesting swimming style 😬

They need to know how to swim. .It's a vital life skill for their own safety. How they get to that stage is on you.

I assume you live in a part of the world where home pools are common?

I agree private one on one swimming lessons would be best. Swimming is a really important life skill that could save your life. He will also feel self conscious if he can’t swim - it will impact holidays, recreation and his own parenting.

Thanks everyone I'm going to put some money aside and hire a teacher to come to us ( presuming I can find one). Hoping 8m is long enough for him to practise diff strokes.

For a non swimmer 8m will be fine.

I never bothered with baby lessons, just took them to the pool a lot to splash & float. They both started proper lessons (without me) age 4, both could do full lengths of a 20m pool by the time they were turning 6 (in breast stroke, front crawl & back stroke). Butterfly took longer.