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Parenting

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Original poster

Getting child to jump into swimming pool…

14 replies

icklekid · 15/02/2022 12:40

My dd (age 5) has been swimming lessons since she was 3. At first this was with instructor in pool then a gap then with me in pool because covid… now she’s back in pool by herself and getting better and better at swimming with floats/ noodle etc. She will not try and jump in though! She also won’t go underwater- will put face in/ happily splashed etc but not go under water. The instructor got in the pool and she still wouldn’t jump in… she’s doing intense swimming Course all this half term and would love her to jump in. Have tried bribery but no joy yet… any tips?

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GoGoPowerScooter · 15/02/2022 12:44

Just wait til she's ready?! She's only five - what's the rush?

Original poster

icklekid · 15/02/2022 12:45

Your probably right - it’s just a fun thing for children to do and I want her to enjoy swimming. I fully accept forcing her to do something she doesn’t want to do is the opposite of that 😅

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Purplepjs · 15/02/2022 12:47

I agree with pp, just let her get to it in her own time. My 8 year old wouldn’t jump in at that age. Now he spends more time under the water then above it and loves nothjng more than jumping in. I suspect the more you push it, the more she will resist. She’ll get there.

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Cluckycluck · 15/02/2022 12:49

Does she wear goggles and a swimming hat? If not these might help her feel more confident going underwater.

My DD is the same age and we cracked jumping and going under last summer. It was going in our pool with her dad that helped, he's a very confident swimmer and she was desperate to play underwater with him. She wouldn't do either for our swim instructor but cracked it very quickly with daddy.

Latenightreader · 15/02/2022 12:53

Don't force her. It is fun for some children but others (like me) hate it. The only time I was ever thrown out of a lesson was when I refused to jump in the pool during a swimming lesson - I was too scared and he refused to let me sit on the side and slide in. Once I got into my teens I'd sometimes jump in, but was never keen. I love swimming but prefer my face out of the water!

Quisto · 15/02/2022 13:04

At 5 my DS was holding the instructor's hand and being gently lowered in. Learning to dive in later was tricky too. At 10 he was swimming in competitions and winning medals for a swimming club. Give her time.

Mol1628 · 15/02/2022 13:10

Some people will just never like it and that’s fine.

With regular swimming though she probably will get there with it as long as it’s fun and no pressure.

HPandTheNeverEndingBedtime · 15/02/2022 13:21

Have you taken her and played games instead of doing it during a structured lesson?

DD and I would hold on to the edge and compete who could blow bubbles the longest, hold on to the side and see who could touch the bottom (I did it with my hands, her her feet), then we would 'spiderman' around to the deepens (travel around holding on to the edge) and try it in the deepened. Then she practised lowering herself in using her hands and turning onto her stomach, and eventually moved onto jumping in.

FindingMeno · 15/02/2022 13:22

She'll do it when she's ready.
Don't allow this to sow a seed of fear.

Duracellbunnywannabe · 15/02/2022 14:37

Take her swimming once a week for fun and don’t hey her to do anything from her lesson just let her do whatever she wants.

Blossomtoes · 15/02/2022 14:42

I’ve managed to get through almost seven decades without jumping into a pool. Why force her to do something she doesn’t want because you think it’s fun? Let her enjoy swimming in the way that suits her.

pinguwings · 15/02/2022 18:20

Giggles made a huge difference for my dd

Original poster

icklekid · 15/02/2022 20:31

She’s got Goggles and this week has wanted to wear a swimming hat. I think even just verbalising this thread and my thoughts made me realise how ridiculous I’m being. It just felt like her teacher and everyone I spoke to felt like she should be doing it. But I’m going to massively back off, praise her for the progress she is making and that she’s happy learning to swim. Your all right she will jump on when and if she wants to! I just hate seeing her so scared of something that I think once she does it she will realise is not bad… but that isn’t for me to decide!

Unfortunately I work 4 days a week and she does activity fri/sat/sun so no time for fun swimming every week alongside lesson so we tend to make sure every holiday we go as a family and no pressure just for fun. I’ll keep doing that and not worry about it any more - promise!

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ErrolTheDragon · 15/02/2022 20:51

I loved swimming, but gave it up at school in my teens after a sixth former helping with the lesson tried to make me jump in - my legs just would not move.

I finally got over it when I was in my 20s, at a pool with friends. And subsequently took up watersports which entail a lot of sudden immersions!

But for small children, who can't possibly be strong swimmers yet and who aren't old enough to have done proper water safety courses yet ... I'm not convinced that encouraging them to jump in is a great idea. Sure, when they're older it may be a good idea so they don't panic if they fall in, or want to do watersports. But 5yos shouldn't be messing around at the edge of a pool (let alone other water) such that they're liable to fall in.

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