help.... my 20 month toddler HATES his swimming classes...

[nkweto]

Hi,

I am not sure if this is the best topic for this discussion, but was wondering if anyone has experienced anything similiar. My 20 month old son has been swimming before (only on holiday in the sun), wearing either used armbands or a circular float which gave him quite a lot of freedom and he loved it.

I am comfortable in water and thought that swimming classes would be an ideal and fun way to continue the swimming experience and gain some useful skills (as much as you can at that age!).

However, the classes really seem to upset him, once he realises he is being held throughout the class and doing structured activities he get really angry and screams the place down.. we had to leave the last classe 20 mins early . He generally is quite an easy going child but he these are really big tantrums. I don't want him to associate the pool with trauma and upset ... and unsure whether we should continue with the classes.. any one experience similar and (hopefully) got through it ?

Agree with twiglett. stop going now before he starts associating swimming with being unhappy. Stick with fun holiday in the sun stuff & maybe take him at home sometimes to a warm, fun pool where he can splash about and enjoy himself. 4-5 for lessons imo (3 for the well behaved sensible ones if you must)

I think it depends on the lessons. My dd is 3.4 and has just started going in for her lessons without me. But shes been going to lessons since she was 7mths and going into the pool since she was 6wks. We also go to fun sessions where we just play on the floats and toys. She doesn't swim without her back float yet but really enjoys it. I found swimsuits with in built floats and the back floats much easier than armbands as it holds them in the water in better position. dd also went through a phase of being difficult, but I would just try and distract her or do something different. Our teachers were always quite understanding and the children sometimes do get bored, or may only do an activity once or twice or even not at all, but I just didn't get too stressed or pushy with dd, if she didn't want to chase the ball anymore we'd just pay with it or blow bubbles etc. People have also commented on wasting money, but we both generally enjoy our lessons and its chaeper for dd to have a lesson than it is to pay for both of us to swim. I miss going in with her now she goes in alone, but I'll still go to fun sessions with her. I'd try a couple more times with your ds and try some of the distraction techniques, perhaps have a chat to the teacher too. I'd also try going to some fun sessions with him. Good luck.

I wouldn't go. It's not imperative for them to learn at such an early age my dd has just started swimming lessons at 4.

Not so worried about the money, as the classes were pretty cheap for a term..it is a waste of £50, but it is not like I have joined a class that cost several hundred. just dont want to start DS associating swimming with upset.

LittleB, to be honest, I was expecting the classes to be more 'fun' as you have described.. they do the singing and splashing but the rest consists of baby (width)laps and ensuring that the babies faces go under water.. which is fine, but on reflection too structured for us right now.

DS loved his initial experience with swimming (armbands, fun just mucking about etc)and I really want him to maintain that feeling not the getting upset version of swimming.

Thanks one and all though, as the response is pretty much unanimous (sp?) I will not lose a moments sleep over stopping the classes

Love someone trying to advertise on a six year old thread. And that they are advertising lessons in another county.
The child in question is now around eight and probably training for the next Olympics by now.

If he doesn't enjoy it, don't take him. He isn't even 2 yet, lessons are as good as pointless. Take him swimming for fun and worry about lessons once he is much older! My daughter started mother & child lessons when she was 4 then classes on her own at 5 and is now 7 and is a relatively good swimmer for her age! But a lot of that is down to us taking her swimming ourselves regularly for fun.

Just realised this thread is ancient - sorry!