Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Waterbabies worth continuing?

9 replies

imme · 15/07/2011 13:05

Hi, my DS (14 months) has been doing waterbabies classes since he was 4 months old. We have completed 3 courses. I have now been offered a space on a saturday class as I have just returned to work and cannot go during the week.
I just cannot make up my mind if I should take the space or not. On the one hand it would be nice continuing and eventually (whenever that may be) reaping the benefits of having had him "swimming" from this young.
On the other hand... it costs an awful lot of money, the class starts at 9 (and my job during the week is pretty full on), and, most importantly, I never felt that he was really enjoying the swimming, especially the underwater swims. It wasn't a disaster but I always felt I force him to do something he feels quite uncomfortable with.
He loves playing in the water though.
Could anyone who has done waterbabies or similar classes over a longer period of time share their experiences?
I am wondering if I should wait until he is three or four and then enrol him in proper swimming lessons and now just take him to our local swimming pool as and when we like to go...
Thanks

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
yearningforthesun · 15/07/2011 13:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Whenisitmysleepytime · 15/07/2011 13:12

can't comment on waterbabies specifically but ds has been to swimming classes since he was 9months old. he's now 2 and super water confident. they're just classes at local leisure centre so i think they're under £60 for 12 week block. friends have taken their same age ds to puddleducks (think they're £80 for similar).
last time the two boys were in the pool together ds was WAY more confident and able to 'swim' than his mate who does puddleducks who was more on a par with their other mate who hasn't done classes.
this may be due to their personalities etc but ds LOVES swimming lessons so we keep going.

if ds loves it keep going if he's not fussed and you aren't either then do something else - either different class or stop for a while.

yearningforthesun · 15/07/2011 13:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Deliaskis · 15/07/2011 13:48

We're just finishing our first course, and it's been really good. We can't do anymore as I'm going back to work in August (DD will be 6 months) and there are no weekend slots.

I think if I wasn't going back to work, I would probably do one more term of WBs, then just take her on my own and then enrol at local leisure centre classes when she's a bit older. More than anything, it's given me confidence to take her swimming, as well as her, so I think it's done its job in that sense.

D

Quenelle · 15/07/2011 14:03

I would resent having a commitment on a Saturday morning after being away from DS all week.

When I was on mat leave we took DS to waterbabies, ours was at 1pm on a Saturday which just screwed the whole day up. Everybody resented it and there were frequent absences, which is crazy considering how much we had all paid. DS never liked it, we stopped going just before the end of the second course because the poor lad had started just switching off and 'enduring' the 30 minutes before we took him out of the pool.

He loves water and swimming now, we often go to the local pool early on a Sunday morning before the crowds arrive and he had a great time in the sea when we were on holiday. I'm happy with that for now, and so is he.

Tinkerisdead · 15/07/2011 14:14

My dd is 2.8yrs and has done waterbabies from 12 weeks. Our class is at 9am. Don't be put off by the time slot. It's not unheard of for us to bring our kids still in pjs and dress them after the swim to save the mad rush getting there.

In terms of is it worth it? Yes. My dd and her peers can swim short distances unaided, surface and monkey monkey without prompt. My dd relishes doing a seal dive launching herself off the side or the mat. When I take her to pools people always commend her abilities compared to four year olds you see with arm bands.

The group after ours is advanced toddlers which always helped me to see what we were aspiring to and justify the cost. Ask your teacher if you can view an advanced toddler class and it will show you what scope you still have for learning.

Roo83 · 15/07/2011 20:30

I'd stick with it-we did aquatots with ds and he is now just turned 3 and can swim really well. He has a great position in the water, and even swims front crawl style-much better way to start than doggy paddle above the surface that I learnt....I've never mastered keeping my face in the water! Ds is by no means exceptional, he's about the middle in his group I think

Pigleychez · 15/07/2011 23:03

DD1 started lessons at 14mths. She is now almost 3 and can swim almost a width completely unaided. Last 3 terms have been with Waterbabies.
DD2 started waterbabies at 9 mths.

With DD1 I can definately see the benefits of continuing but it does depend on the individual child. Only you can tell if hes really enjoying it or not.

Our lessons are at 2 on Sundays which can be abit annoying as thats the day occupied as such. Not much time to anything in the morning, especially with naps etc. But seeing their progress makes it worth while. A while of occupied sundays for confident,capable children in the water.

HairyMaclary1 · 15/11/2013 14:21

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by Mumsnet for breaking our Talk Guidelines. Replies may also be deleted.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread