Is her instructor a bit mean?

[Kittenrush]

My 4 year old has recently started swimming lessons. She in a stage 1 total beginners class. First lesson she absolutely loved, they did basic stuff and she seemed to enjoy herself. She was the smallest there by far and presumably the youngest. The other children all seemed to have had lessons previously and were confident in the water, she wasn’t and needed the pole and a lot of support (which I noticed seem to annoy the instructor a little) but nonetheless she really seemed to enjoy herself and couldn’t wait to go back the next week.
Second week my husband took her and said it was awful. The woman was quite short with her and kept taking the pole away when she wasn’t ready. She’s obviously supported by pool floats etc but he said she was terrified and spent a lot of the lesson crying/swallowing water. She’s now quite upset about the prospect of going back. Is it unreasonable to expect support in a stage 1 swimming lesson? I am all for her being pushed and encouraged but she’s no wet blanket and wouldn’t have cried without a really good reason. Is she too little? Should I pull her? Teach her myself? Or have a little chat with the instructor maybe?

She's mean, teachers are to tune into each child and be indicated by then what they need. Tears and swallowing water is clear she still needed the pole. I'd be thinking to ask to speak one to one with teacher and get her view of what happened during the class, your daughters clear distress and what strategoes teacher has or what can be done going forwards. I had something similar ish and my son's now re starting absolute beginners with me in water with him as he just struggled from the get go. Nervous in water xx

Sorry for typos xx

Maybe try to find some lessons catering to newer swimmers. The first things they should do are practice pouring water on their neck, cheek, forehead etc to expose them to having water on their face then practice blowing bubbles underwater etc. All before doing any actual floating / swimming.

I would forget formal lessons and just teach/swim with her yourself
if you keep forcing it you may make her fear the water
feeling confident to 'play' in the water is better than formal lessons at 4yrs old (in my opinion anyway)

That sounds awful!! I think she needs to be in a class with children at the same level who have also not swam before. There's no rush. I didn't start swimming lessons until I was 5 and I completed at County level and for my uni. Your daughter needs to be enjoying it. That instructor sounds horrible!

Thank you so much all. I took her back myself for a try and she was absolutely petrified.
We have pulled her and complained and DH is now going to teach her how to swim. They are both very excited about it so all worked out in the end!
I’m cross it was allowed to happen in the first place, she’s always been so confident in the water!