Swimming lessons - DS refusing to go

[homemadesandwiches]

DS is nearly five. I did a baby / preschool lesson with him from being about four months until he started school, when he went into the junior part of it. It’s good adult / child ratio and of course I don’t go in the pool.

However, DS seems to hate it. It’s actually been DH who has been taking him as our other child has her ballet lesson at the same time and DH couldn’t get him to go this week; we agreed he didn’t have to this week but obviously need to think about going forward.

He can swim but isn’t particularly refined or advanced - he could get himself safely out of a pool but that’s it.

There doesn’t seem to be anything tangible I can put my finger on about the lessons. The teachers are nice. So I’m worried about changing him to another type of lesson in case it’s the same problem.

I really don’t want him to stop swimming lessons yet but don’t want a big battle every week either, or him being upset.

Take a break? Maybe try again in a few months and just do some fun swims between now and then.

We stopped our DC swimming lesson coz of how stressful it was getting to battle every week and he isn't making any improvements over months. He's just turned 4.

He could be a number of things...
The pool is cold
He wants to play in the pool not practice strokes
He is tired after a week at school

Forcing him wont make him learn

I know, which is why I’m asking on here. It won’t make him learn but taking a break is difficult because then we’ve lost our place and weekend slots are quite hard to find.

I may see if I can swap to a Sunday so I can take him.

Hmm. Does he kick off less if you take him, rather than your DH?

Swimming is non-negotiable for me, but my biggest concern about sacking it off would be what an utter ballache it is to get a slot round here. Also DC2 had his lessons interrupted by a number of things and in the end we threw money at private lessons and within 2 terms he was easily swimming 200m. In hindsight I wish I had waited until they were a bit older and just done one year of intense lessons (ours were 1:2). It would have been cheaper and less hassle.

My DS started refusing to go to his group swimming lessons when he was 6 or so. He isn’t sporty and needed a bit longer to learn the strokes, so grew to hate trying to keep up with everyone else.
I gave him a break then tried one to one lessons which were perfect as they could go exactly as his pace, with nobody to compare himself to. Before long his swimming skills were much much better and he’s now a perfectly competent swimmer. We’re all glad now that we didn’t stop completely as it’s a useful life skill if you can possibly have it.

He needs a break. Talk to the teacher, ask to go to the top of the wait list but skip a term.

You can't force a young child to learn to swim. It's a vital skill but he has to be on board.

Can you try taking him swimming and your DH do the dance lesson?

@DeafLeppard DH struggles more with behaviour with DS. With me he’d grumble a bit but go with the promise of a gingerbread man afterwards, I’m fairly sure. I feel like you about swimming. I mean, what if he was to drown and he could have been able to get out but didn’t have the skill?

There is no way I can afford one to one lessons. The current ones are a stretch.