Swimming and putting your face/head underwater

[LackingInspiration]

DD1 (7) is so close to learning to swim, but, as we already knew, her teacher's just informed us that she just won't learn to swim enough to move up to the next level if she can't get her face in the water properly.

This is something htat has been an issue for years now. She's way better than she was, but she says she hates the feeling of the water going in her eyes, and she says the goggles don't work. And she says she can only do it if she's holding her nose.

Any ideas? I'm thinking of getting her a nose clip, but what else can I do? I'm reluctant to keep spending money on lessons until she's reliably putting her head under water, but she wants so badly to learn to swim, and join a swimming club.

I've never been able to do this, I can't even put my face under the shower without feeling like I'm suffocating so I sympathise with her.

Is it just when she has to put her face in the water, or can she hold her nose and put her whole head underwater (does that make sense?) for me its when there is water on my face rather than being underwater as such

Yes, she can do it when she's holding her nose - as in she can duck straight down and come back up again. But she doesn't like it when she has to do 'push and glide' and she has to have her face under the water .

Does she say why she doesn't like it?

I reckon a nose clip and see if that helps. Sorry to say I've never got over it, but I can still swim perfectly well :)

I'm going to get her a noseclip before tomorrow morning's swimming lesson - she thinks that'll help.

I think the problem with the swimming is that she holds her head so high that, although her body's in a really good position, once she starts trying to move, she can't maintain it unless she has a float to use to help her keep her head up IYSWIM.

I've always swum with my head above the water, and was a complete water baby as child. i think it is all about finding a technique that works for her, try the nose clip, it may help, i use to lift my top lip up and block my nose. Can she just swim without goggles, and keep her eyes closed under water, then wipe the water away when she surfaces? As she gets older, and stronger in the water, her confidence will develop and she will be able to swim better.

Thanks Cookie. The teacher said to practice at bath time, but we've been doing that for the last 7 years and it's only helped marginally! What helped the most was her suddenly getting the confidence to play in the sea properly this summer - boogie boarding etc. I think it's the intentional, concious 'I must put my face under the water now' thing that bothers her.

I sympathise as the only way I can put my head underwater is with full scuba gear on! Interestingly here in Australia they get them to put their head under the water from the first lesson so it becomes second nature; there is no such thing as swimming with your face out of the water. My best tip would be 1:1 lessons if you can afford it with a teacher that your DD trusts who is in the water with her. We've overcome all kinds of water fears that way.

Look at it as managing her breathing, there's a knack to only breathing in thru the mouth whilst swimming so that air doesn't get in the nose. It takes time and practice, A few One-to-one lessons with the instructor might be just the ticket to help her learn it. And try different brands of goggles, they aren't all the same. I can't put my face in the water without decent googles, either (have tried plenty of goggles I couldn't get to fit comfortably and keeping the water out).

I could never swim properly (put my face in for more than a moment) as a child all because I didn't have decent goggles (did they even exist for children in the 1970s?). I only learnt a proper crawl as an adult -- getting well-fitted goggles was revolutionary for me!

We taught DSs to do this by playing games in a shallow pool where they had to swim down and get things off the bottom or swim trough hoops or between our legs underwater etc.

Turn it into a fun challenge with a friend/sibling and be in the pool yourself to help them.

i agree with raggles try different makes of goggles. it is v bad to swim with head up, puts all sorts of strain on neck and shoulder muscles and most people who do never really progress v much even if they swim for years. Good goggles are the key.