Swimming drama

[momofbhoys]

I have a 5.5 year old who is obsessed with swimming. Always has been desperate to get into water. He had loads of operations and was unable to go swimming until 4.5... then covid closed all the pools here

We are in Ireland and swim Ireland say that no instructors should be allowed in the water. The club I am part of are saying one adult per child for all swimming lessons. I have a second kid (3- not really interested in swimming). I can't find a single lesson at the weekend. I have found one place that will take him in the water because they say it is a guidance not a law... but only 1:1 and it is €35 for 30 mins, it is a 2 hour round trip. What would you do? I tried you tube but swimming is so hard to teach and he has too much confidence

Are there no lessons available where he can go in without you?

All lessons for over 4s at our local pool (England) are just with an instructor on the side. They're split into ability groups and they wear arm bands as needed.

I take my under 4 and have to go in with him and it's a massive pain in the arse, can't wait till I can just leave him with the instructor and go for a coffee misses point

I'm a swimming teacher and teach in the water in England the water kills the virus. Sounds like they are taking advantage and charging you for a one to one.

@GintyMcGinty

Any lessons you don't have to go in are booked up. People were Q'ing from 3am and you had to have an annual membership for said club, so you are looking at €180 upfront and a 3am q that is not a guarantee for a spot. In hindsight I should have taken the membership... got in the q and if I didn't get a spot ask for a refund but that is a lot of admin and sounds stressful.

I have 2 options... go to this place that take him in the water and pay €35 per hour and suck up the 2 hour round trip with 3 year old in tow.

Pay someone to mind the 3 year old so I can take 5 year old to lessons. Then it works out €33 per lesson. Very bloody expensive.

If I could

@Blippibloppi

No I totally get your point! Everyone needs headspace.

@Bananarama21

Come to Ireland... earn €70 per hour and work whatever hours you want

Double pay on a Sunday too!!

Do you really need to hire someone to babysit the 3 yr old? Would a friend or a neighbour not help out?

I think I'd just take him at the weekends as a family swim and leave the lessons until it goes back to normal to be honest. Here in England, I think it's returned to precovid regards swimming lessons but unsure as mine are older swimmers.

Don't stress. Wait 6 months for lessons until it has calmed down. Just take him swimming yourself at the weekends so he stays keen. Get a woggle. Let him hold it and kick his legs. You never know if he is motivated enough he'll teach himself to swim. My youngest did....he just kept trying and trying till he got it. (Prior to that I made him wear arm bands).

@Bananarama21

Are there any good you tube tutorials for teaching kids to swim yourself (please don't think I am belittling your occupation.... I am not... just getting professional help here is out of my budget)

I am not being lazy I have obviously tried looking myself :)

The lady who did the 2 face to face lessons with him said it is probably 20 lessons to get fairly safe in the water with 1:1, she said he is well above average but he will need at least 10 lessons to get across a small pool safely with supervision. Does that sound about right?

Do you live near an aura? My daughter does swim academy in Meath. It was about eighty euro for ten lessons. Loads of availability too.

@user1471530109

Maybe they would help me out but it is 16 weeks of lessons and I kind of figured that is a lot to ask anyone. Especially if people were flaky... as I would have paid €230 upfront for the 16 lessons.

@momofbhoys

Oh dear what a nightmare

@Booboosweet

55 mins drive each way. Do they go in the pool?

I could go in the pool with the 2 kids, even happy to pay the €230 x 2, but the club I am with say it must be 1 adult per child.

Just take him swimming yourself. 🤷‍♀️

@Tlollj

I do that, he is all confidence and no ability. Bad combo when it comes to water. If I could get him the basics it would be a bit more enjoyable. I think you tube is the only option for me it is just so technical teaching someone to swim even though my husband and I are good (me) and excellent (DH). I wish he would be obsessed with something safe like football!

I mean a good swimmer obviously. I am not a good teacher... even on things I understand 😂 swimming is so complex to teach

Is it though? I taught mine. My dad taught me. Obviously technique improves as you go more often but never needed a teacher.

Wow, those costs are insane. My 5 year old taught herself one summer holiday, she spent hours in the water & just managed to them swim 10 metres or so. She was confident under water then sort of floated?! I spent lots of money getting my reluctant 7 year old lessons & one day he just swam. Not very helpful to you but in my opinion 1:1 lessons were great when they were about 6

@Tlollj

You are probably right I got taught by family I was ok then got lessons as an adult and became good. It took witnessing a near drowning for me to really understand how important swimming is. I think getting it right when you are young is probably easier.

He isn't in school yet but academics don't interest him and there are age typical things that he is just not as advanced as his peers. This is something he seems to be good at and I just want to encourage it.

I've taught both of mine myself. Just go in the pool and show him how to use his hands and kick. At first leave his armbands on, next lesson deflate them half way then try the following without armbands.

get a woggle because those are great for kids to learn - they hold you up but still in the right posture to swim.

Use a woggle or a float, not armbands

Those costs are bonkers & 2 hr round trip with a 3 yr old is even worse!

We're having a similar problem (Scotland) as the council stopped all new swimmer lessons way back at the beginning of all this & have never reinstated them private lessons are expensive & have a waiting list until middle of next year. What we did was found a week of private daily lessons in the summer & have continued to take her ourselves.

In your shoes I would take them swimming myself & put a SwimFin on your 5 yr old mine all liked them & it was particularly useful for my overconfident but uncoordinated DS who could zoom around a pool with one from about 2yrs old - without it he just forgot to swim sometimes & sank

Why can't your husband look after the 3 year old while you take the 5 year old swimming? I thought you were. Single parent

I definitely saw one to one in the pool lessons where were in longford last week and I know group lessons near me have started again with an instructor in the pool. (Dublin)

Might be worth posting in Craicnet with your approx location and you might get some suggestions.