another swimming one

8 replies

madusa · 02/10/2009 21:19

my ds (aged 5) has just started lessons in a local pool so is stage 1.

He is very confidant in the water and loves swimming.

For the last 4 sessions, there has been him and 2 other children and the lessons have gone well.

Today there were 7 other children in his group. One adult out of the water and one adult in the water with the children.

The pool slopes and this group are in the shallow end. However, because the group today was so large, the children were spread out across the pool and some of the children were in water much too deep. My ds let go and went under. The instructor at the side couldn't reach him and waited for the chap in teh water to swim over.

This probably only took seconds but felt like a lifetime. My DS was very shaken and was crying. I took him, got him changed and left.

Am i wrong in thinking that the lady on the side should have jumped in?

I have cancelled the rest of his lessons there as I don't think it is safe enough.

OP posts:

Doodlez · 02/10/2009 21:22

I think you've over-reacted a smidge.

But then, I'm more gung-ho than most when it comes to swimming lessons. DH qualified life-saver, swam for the country and all that.

TheFoosa · 02/10/2009 21:25

I know it's really hard sometimes having to sit and watch, but he will be fine

there is usually a life-guard on call as well

my dd swam in the deep-end today with no arm-bands or instructor in the pool, I was cacking myself

theagedparent · 02/10/2009 21:26

I think the lady on the side should have got into the water if she was nearest but I think to cancel the swimming lessons was a bit drastic. A word with the pool manager should have been enough. Hope your ds is ok and not put off swimming altogether.

Cadelaide · 02/10/2009 21:27

If he was upset then I think that's not good. It's not going to foster confidence, is it?

YANBU

Original poster

madusa · 02/10/2009 21:31

no lifeguard as the lessons are held in a senior school out of school hours.

My Ds is very small for his age which means that he is one of the smallest (if not the smallest) in his group but he was the one in the deepest water because of his confidence.

It is his because of his confidence that he let go, lost his woggle thing and went under.

It was so scary but i guess that's because he is my "baby"

OP posts:

snorkie · 02/10/2009 21:53

The lady on the side should NOT have got in before getting all the other children out of the water - that is how they are trained to react - you have to ensure others safety first. I imagine it would have taken longer to do that than for the one in the water to reach your ds.

TheFoosa · 02/10/2009 22:07

I think I must be hard-faced, I always make my dd go swimming, even in the beginning when she hated it

gigglewitch · 02/10/2009 22:18

Madusa, no teacher or lifeguard should get in the water until everyone is safe, particularly so if there was another (presumably qualified) adult in the water. [I'm also a swimming teacher and also train lifeguards]
Can't you let him go back and send him in a float vest or armbands? Either that or get him into a swimming club or lessons in a more appropriate pool? TBH, I'm more worried about the fact that you say they "don't have a lifeguard because it's a high school out of hours" - imho they need a lifeguard regardless. As a teacher I'm there to teach, I want a lifeguard there to watch the overall picture. Look around, but really don't leave it long so that the fantastic confidence he's had isn't lost.

Flip