Webchat with Olympic swimmer Rebecca Adlington and her mum Kay (plus a chance to win a pool party for your child!), TODAY, Thursday 15 November, 12.30-1.30pm

[RachelMumsnet]

Olympic medallist Rebecca Adlington and her mum, Kay, are joining us on Thursday 15 November at 12.30pm for a live webchat. As well as talking about her own experiences as an Olympic swimmer, Kay will be sharing what it was like getting up every morning to take her daughter swimming for all those many years!

Rebecca will also be offering advice on how to get your children and you to enjoy swimming. Rebecca is currently working with Speedo on their Learn To Swim campaign, which was launched in response to research findings that an astonishing 40% of children can't swim. Join Rebecca at 12.30pm on Thurs or send a question in advance to this thread.

Rebecca and Kay have also just launched 'The S Factor' competition inviting kids under ten to draw a new sea character to join the Speedo Sea Squad. Anyone can enter at www.mumsnet.com/microsites/speedo until 29 November. The winner will be chosen by Rebecca and Kay and will win a free pool party hosted by Rebecca herself and the Speedo Sea Squad. The winning design will join the Sea Squad as an honorary member to front the campaign encouraging kids to take the plunge.

Hello Rebecca , you're amazing and such an inspiration.Congratulations on another great Olympics.

My question is for your Mum.

Hello Kay, can i say congratulations to you for having such a lovely and talented daughter.
Kay how hard was it for you,when Rebecca was younger, getting to training, heats etc? Did your family life suffer? Financially i imagine as a family a lot of sacrifices were made.

Sports funding is pitiful, what do you think the Government could do to support talented youngsters, who perhaps don,t have such
dedicated support?

Rebecca was the Olympic Village a hot bed of sin ?

That must be a mumsnet first. Mother and daughter chat.

Hello Rebecca and Kay,

My eldest child is 8 and appears to be a very talented runner and cyclist. He currently varies his week around bmx, road racing and athletics club activities. How old was Rebecca when she showed that she had a talent for swimming? and was it always swimming, or were there other sports that may have been another direction she could have followed but a point when a decision had to be made on which path to follow.

Another question (i know it's one question each but hey), this same child refuses to have swimming lessons because he says he can already swim. He can't swim and he's most offended that I have questioned his conviction that he can actually swim. Just what exactly am I supposed to do with him? He's not afraid of the water, just that he thinks he can swim and he can't.

Hello Rebecca, congratulations and just want to say really well done for being such a great role model for little girls me and my 2 year old were cheering you on in front of the telly during the Olympics!

Question for Rebecca: what was your favourite bit of the Olympics?

Question for Kay: congrats on raising such a fabulously talented girl! What's Rebecca's favourite thing to eat on big event days?

How exciting! Many congratulations on your performance at the Olympics, Rebecca, DH was lucky enough to watch you race.

Do you still love swimming as much as when you started?

Hello Rebecca and Kay. Congratulations on your Olympic medals Rebecca. When did you learn to swim and when did you start competing? What got you into swimming seriously and are you glad that you did (or did other bits of growing up suffer). Oops lots of questions

Dear Rebecca, I simply wanted to comment on the unbelievably brave and intelligent way in which you have dealt with the Internet bullies you've infuriatingly encountered before, during and after your marvellous achievements. Having been bullied myself as a young person I know only too well the horror of such treatment and you should be as proud of your ability to rise above such rubbish as you are of your swimming success. I have a six year old daughter whom I adore and if she grows up to have even a couple of your attributes I will be as delighted as I'm sure your mother already is.

Please note the webchat with Rebecca and Kay is taking place today at 12.30-1.30 (not 1-2pm as originally stated). Look forward to her joining us at Mumsnet HQ and please do come along and join us.

My question is: Were there times in the past when you felt like giving up and how did you overcome that?

Hi Kay and Rebecca .

Rebecca , I think you're lovely , I watched the Olympics on TV ( all of it I think ) and you were so gracious when being interviewed after the race .

I work in a health club and help out with swimming lessons , I find it so stressful with the small children who think they can swim but can't .

I don't have a question about sport , just wanted to congratulate you both .

Hi Rebecca and Kay, congratulations on your amazing achievements Rebecca at this year's olympics. I managed to see some diving at the aquatic centre during the olympics and thought the stadium was amazing. did you manage to s ee much of the games? What were your highlights apart from your own races? What was it really like living at olympic village?

Hi Rebecca & Kay

Brilliant Olympics.

DS considers himself quite sporty and enjoys a variety of activities. He's a reasonable swimmer, just passed level 8 at age 8. However he has chosen not to go on to level 9 because he thinks just doing lengths isn't fun. (He is competitive - his swimming teacher nicknamed him 'hardcore' ).

Question then: Why does the fun seem to be taken out of swimming, in a learning/improving environment, for kids at such a young age? He is still keen to swim recreationally.

Hi Rebecca and Kay

I was lucky enough to have sweated blood and tears to have got Olympic tickets including your 800m final. Congratulations on the bronze! It truly is an amazing achievement.

I wonder what your feelings are about the criticism that British swimming came in for after the Olympics especially when unfavourably compared to the rowers and cyclists. Do you think that any sport can be transformed like British cycling?

Also (cheeky second question!) what do you see yourself doing in 10 years?

Hi Rebecca & Kay

Well done to Rebecca - I have questions for both of you.

I have a DD age 8 who is starting pre-competitive swim training. What should she be doing at this age as far as training is concerned? She currently does a school swim squad once a week, private swim squad twice a week (including any stroke correction). How can I help her keep the momentum up so she doesn't burn out before the critical teen years?

Kay, as a mum, how do you think you walk that fine line between being supportive mum & pushy mum??

Thanks!

Hi Rebecca and Kay :)

Do you find it odd to see your name on signposts around Mansfield now and have you been to Sherwood Baths to swim since they were renamed in your honour?

Kay - how has your life changed since Rebecca became so celebrated?

Its great to have such a positive female role model from my home town and we are all very proud of you. Well done on your amazing achievements.

Hello Rebecca
Wow! Talking to a RL Olympian!
Just wanted to swoon a bit as think you are phenomenal and a great role model and agree with the poster who said you were so very gracious in your winning interview. What are you doing at the moment?

And what would people be surprised to know about you?

Hello!
Rebecca, I have a 5yo who earlier this week had a bit of a panic attack in his swimming lesson - he didn't want to put his face in the water and he was shaking and crying and wanted to get out. He has since maintained he hates water and never wants to have another lesson. He's only been learning for 2 months, so has polystyrene armbands etc but is actually doing quite well. How can I best build his confidence back up please so he goes to next week's lesson happily?

He's very skinny and without floats does tend to sink a bit and swallow a lot of water, which understandably he doesn't like. We do have mask goggles.

Would a 1 to 1 lesson help, perhaps? At the moment he shares his half hour with two others so spends 2/3 of the time hanging onto the poolside getting cold.

I would really appreciate any tips! Thanks!

Morning to mum and daughter

My 15 year old daughter has asked to put forward a question. She used to be a club swimmer until turning to rowing, but she always had a problem caring for her hair. She asks how on earth you keep your hair looking so healthy and lovely with all the swimming you do?

We are enormously proud of you Rebecca, in terms of your achievements yes, but you epitomise good sportsmanship. You are a really strong role model for our girls. Bless you for that.

Thank you for making this summer so exciting

Very important question: who did your amazing, patriotic nails?

Hi Rebecca- firstly you are such a fantastic role model.
The amount of focus and determination you've shown is awe inspiring-
What's your favourite biscuit?

Hi Rebecca
I was also lucky enough to see you at the Olympics, you were amazing.
I want to echo again the other posts with a huge thank-you for being such an amazing role model for our girls.
My question is for both of you I guess. Both my children can swim but now don't want to progress beyond the basics. For me as an avid swimmer it's not enough that they can swim I want them to be able to swim well ie have a good technique and stamina. What do you think I can do to persuade them to keep going?
I just want them to enjoy swimming as much as I did and still do

Thank you

Hi Rebecca - I think you're fab. I'm not particularly sporty myself, but got TOTALLY swept up in the spirit of the Olympics and loved it. You really did us proud!

Anyway, I'm not sure if anyone else has mentioned this, but you obviously had to deal with a lot of sh*t from a bully comedian (who shall not be named!). I thought it was brilliant that you didn't take it lying down and fought back. I think it sets a great example to young people especially, that they can speak up when someone who is bigger and louder and saying not very nice things!

So my question is this, do you find it a bit weird and surreal that you get judged on how you look, when your career has nothing to do with your looks? You presumably didn't want to be a 'celebrity' and haven't courted publicity, and haven't invited criticism.

Kay - how did you deal with this? It must have been really upsetting.

Hope that wasn't too morbid a question.

Hi Rebecca and Kay!
Great to have you come onto mumsnet! Well done on your olympic success.
I love going swimming but it's so expensive, it's over £6 for an adult to go to my local council run leisure centre which isn't even nice! It really puts me off.
Anyway, my question for Rebecca is, what's the most impressive venue you've every swam at? And you can't say the Aquatic Centre at London 2012! :)

Hello Rebecca and Kay

My son shows great promise at swimming. He got his 50m badge on the opening day of the 2012 Olympics at just 4 years of age. I shall keep the photo for my proud mum interview at the 2024 Olympics when I shall claim it must have been destiny If this continues, what ungodly time am I going to have to get up in the morning to take him to training?

Hi I'm here great to be at Mumsnet