3 year old swim classes - parents not permitted by pool

[Ifeellikeateenageragain]

Hi all,

Looked through the archives but couldn't find a post similar to this situation - just trying to get a read on what's the norm etc.

I contacted a swim school about options for swimming lessons for a 3 year old. They got back to me promptly and the first point was to let me know parents are not permitted to be poolside during the classes as they have found it distracts the small children. I can well believe this might be the case (!) but was wondering what others' experiences have been with swim classes for toddlers?

There's no viewing area away from or above the pool in this centre so parents would be in another part of the building with no oversight of the pool.

Probs being all PFB but I would prefer to be able to see how my child is and if there was any distress etc? But this might be the norm and I'm over reacting.

It depends where the lessons are. The swim schools by me tend to teach in school pools with no viewing area. My kids go to council leisure centres where we have to sit and watch.

My 3 year old has recently started lessons and you can't stay poolside as there isn't any where for parents to sit (not a leisure centre so no viewing area). However, the cafe is directly adjacent to the pool with floor to ceiling glass so can see the entire pool. We also have to drop and collect her from the poolside for each lesson and there are only 3/4 kids max per lesson.

It’s normal. Honestly.
a lot of the time children make more progress without the parent at poolside.