Deep water fear

[Toarrie]

My child (6) has recently developed a fear of water they cannot stand in. I’m struggling to know what to do to support them.
they’ve been going to swimming lessons and progressed ok at first and had been jumping in the deep end (they are naturally cautious so it took some weeks to build up to) but they have now stopped and cannot be encouraged to do it again.
they are now holding up the class while the teacher tries to encourage them. They can swim and do so well in shallow water but in deep water they cling to the side. I’m close to losing my patience with it and I’m struggling to think of how to help them.

Sadly 1-2-1s are very very difficult to come across locally and massively over subscribed.
thanks for the helpful comment just as well I said close to and haven’t!

Go swimming for fun as a family every weekend. Ideally in a graduated pool and don’t put him under any pressure to go deeper than he is comfortable with or to practice what he does in lessons.

I think your DC is perfectly sensible and less likely to drown in later life, as they will avoid deep water. I never swim out of my depth, and I’m 67! They can have plenty of fun in the shallow end.

I hadn’t thought about stopping the lessons. I might speak to instructor and see about having the noodle when in deep end to build confidence again?