DD1 afraid of water

[trying2bgood]

My dd1 is 3 very soon to turn 4 and has started swimming lessons. She has never particularly liked water and she spends most of the class crying and refusing to do anything the instructor tells her to do. The instructor is great and very patient but firm, she was getting better but seems to have taken a backward step today. Should I call it a day and wait till she is older or just keep going with the lessons?

maybe stop the lessons and try just taking her swimming, like with inflatables and things, so it's more fun? does she have friends who like to swim?

Ds started lesson last January (2006) and there were a couple of boys in the class who would rfuse to get in or cry throughout the lesson. I noticed they didn't rebook in the summer but now they are back and they love the water. Apparently one of them said it was too cold! A break may be all she needs

we have taken her swimming, but she is the same just clings to us and gets gradually more upset and because we are her parents we get more wind up whereas at least the instructor seems to be more patient. I never manage to catch the instructor to talk to him about it!

she has always been wary around water, when she was a baby she used to cry in the bath, maybe she just needs more time as you say.

How many lessons has she had so far. My friends ds is like this - clings to his mum crying while my ds is splashing around. He loves my ds (same Nursey Class) but this doesn't encourage him to even dip his feet in. I think if after about 6 lessons there's no improvement take a brek for a few months or so

break

this will be her 4 lesson

4th

I was terrified of water as ttkid, and the worse thing was being taught by an instructor, I was really scared.

I was taught to swim by a friend who was older than me. We used to go with her family every week. I felt safer with someone I knew much much safer, and I could go at my own pace.

I wouldn't have learnt with an instructor, too scared.

Take her out and try and teach her yourself.

My dh has said he will give it another go if the lessons fall through. It breaks my heart seeing her so sad.

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Speak to his teacher Mellowmama.

I remember being traumatised by school swimming lessons every week.

Take a break. My dd1 hated her swimming lessons. We stopped - for about a year and then she asked to go again and learnt to swim in a few weeks. I know it's a 'life skill' but unless you have a river running through the back of your garden you could probably afford to leave it for abit.

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yes have pretty much made up my mind, talk to instructor and see if we can defer until the new year. She will also be taking swimming lessons at school so not sure what will happen then. Half term now so will not think about it!

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tah for advice and nice to know there are others having the same experience - good luck to all our kiddies xx