When did you stop swim lessons?

[Popsicle82646]

DS 7 wants to stop swim lessons, he doesn't look forward to going anymore.

He is able to swim, and is stage 4 currently just over half way through at 65 %.
They seem to be going over everything he's already learnt ie dolphin and frog strokes etc.

When did you stop your child's swim lessons? Once it had achieved the goal of being able to swim and get out of any dangerous situation? Or when they had perfected every stroke and got upto gala swim competition level?
Not sure whether to carry on or not.

Thanks ☺️

As long as I can keep her going. Currently in Year 8. Has had weekly lessons since she was a baby. Can swim really well and has swum 4km at a charity event last year. Excellent exercise for her so I see no reason to stop. She has no interest in competing but her lessons are challenging and she is always improving. I think being a strong swimmer is important from a safety perspective and also means she is confident in the sea.

One of the reasons we stopped formal lessons was they didn't do endurance training. It was more worthwhile taking the to the pool to swim lengths for 30 minutes rather than working on butterfly o making shapes as tey jump into water.

If the lessons are good, they may be worthwhile but if they aren't actually learning anything, then its a pointless endeavour just to box tick Stage 7 or whatever.

Stages are less important to me than overall competence and safety in the water. Ds was stage 6 but a very strong swimmer. Dd is stage 5 but not a strong enough swimmer yet. I have told her she has to be able to do 100 m, proper stroke (doesn't have to be perfect but needs to be good enough that she is confidently and effectively moving through the water). She also has to hre able to tread water for 5 minutes, jump in without holding her nose and wearing her clothes and be able to go to the beach without freaking out at mild waves. I think she will be there by the time she hits stage 6 (they are only keeping her back currently as her butterfly isn't that strong).

As others have said, without that level of competence other opportunities will be denied to her when she's older and I need to know that when she's out swimming independent as a teenager and young adult, she is confident enough with the basics.

Well, mine are now young adults, but they certainly did.

All had done 1500m before finishing (at Primary school age).

DS really wants to dive and they're not allowed to join until they are level 5 and over 6 years old, so he will keep going until he gets there at least but I expect he'll do more, he's on track for level 4 this year and he's not six yet. He's also determined to do sea cadets when he's older and RNLI! So he needs to be really competent. We live by the coast and he's all about the water

My dd swims 5-6 times a week for a club but she loves it. She's had lessons her whole life, apart from the Covid year.

End of stage 7 which was aged 7 for one and 8 for the other. They quickly lost the ability to do the strokes well but not the water confidence and ability to keep safe in the water. They then both did a bit of lessons in y4/5 at school and we kept them regularly swimming in holidays or to the leisure pool on a weekend if it had been a while.

@Avocadono

Once you can competently swim one length you can swim many! You just need to take your children swimming to keep it up, no point paying someone to have them swimming lengths up and down the pool, can do that myself!

I think about thenmqybe a little older, if they are not wanting to be there they won't be learning anything new so I don't see the point continuing regardless of what I may personally think

It's no different to me as an adult if my heart is not in it what would I get out of it?

Stage 4 is beginner really. If you aren’t going to take him swimming weekly to build endurance if you stop, then you need to keep going until he can swim at least 100m comfortably.

I find it odd that so many people can afford to pay for years and years of swimming lessons.

My mum was terrified of water so insisted we had lessons, only until we got the 25m badges though, I'm like a fish and swim a couple of miles a week 40 years later, fully able to swim in deep water and the sea.

My DC were in the pool from about 3m and only had school lessons for one term (minimum requirement of the curriculum and they were both top of the class) before being pulled by the school - we've been swimming with them and coaching since they were tiny and whilst their technique might not be perfect they have the right level of confidence, ability and respect for the water to be safe -both complete water babies still at 18 and 20.

Lessons are expensive and in my circle I know plenty of kids whose parents haven't been able to afford lessons but who also haven't taken the kids for a family swim.

Mine do lessons at school so there’s no quitting it for them any time soon! But swimming 100m/4 lengths is what I’d personally count as competent swimming. If they can do 1-2 lengths at the moment, and you’re prepared to take them regularly yourself and do some proper swimming together, not just a fun sessions on the inflatables, then I’d be ok with them quitting. I wouldn’t put any sway in the swim stages, I don’t know where they came from as they weren’t around when I was younger, but the butterfly requirement at stage 4 seems unnecessary and off putting.

When they passed their Bronze medallion at 12, they both went on to do their NPLQ at 16 and worked as lifeguards.
They both said they missed their swimming lessons when they stopped

Eldest is in stage 7 and has done their 100m, youngest is in stage 5 and has their 25m.

Plan is to stay in until the end of stage 7, unable to do stage 8 as it's 2 hours a week and clashes with a prior commitment. Eldest does diving (in stage 3) and I have said when they drop swimming could potentially pick up artistic swimming or life saving. Youngest starts diving next week.

We also swim every week with them, I've witnessed eldest do 1000m, and youngest can do 400m.

Stage 5. She can swim 50m, jump in, float.
Most water activities ask for these things.

I have to say, this thread is making me wonder if I can actually save the money we're spending on DD's swim lessons. She goes with friends and we always swim before/after so if we cancelled the lesson, we could insist that she uses that time to build up her stamina a bit more. Definitely to be considered.

The most important part is learning to breath properly.
You can always tell those who havent been taught properly, they might be able to swim a length but is not efficient

Yeah, and that's why we've kept up for now - I said she doesn't have to be perfect, but she does need to be able to swim consecutive lengths doing some form of a "proper" stroke, including breathing. She's made huge progress over the last 3 months which is why I'm thinking it might be almost time. 6 months ago her breathing was awful still but she's been motivated by the option of potentially stopping and has really improved a lot over the summer, including proactively choosing to practice her front crawl and do lengths to build stamina.

We moved from lessons to club after stage 5. It was cheaper, they do more swimming for stamina and also improve the technique so it’s been a big improvement on the lessons. It’s still just once a week at the moment. I would like her to be able to swim at least 400m front crawl but I too grew up in the Antipodes where everyone did a lot of swimming so that seems normal minimum to be a competent swimmer.

the oldest stopped at about 7 or 8, the youngest stopped at about 11 to 12! they both enjoyed swimming and the lessons turned into a 'sport'.. as adults neither swim for pleasure now

Mine never had lessons apart from the compulsory school ones. We just took them swimming a lot including in the sea froma young age.They are now 14, 16 and 18 and can all swim confidently enough to enjoy the sea, water parks, swimming pools safely. None of them have perfect technique or can swim particularly fast because they don't need to. The swim class industry has done a great job of persuading middle class parents over priced swimming lessons for years and years are a necessity.

My DS does sea scouts and is a competent sailor with our local sailing cadets. He's never had any swimming lessons but has swum in the sea with me from a young age.

I won't stop till they can swim good strokes for hundreds of meters and be able to tread water for a good amount of time. I want them to be able to swim confidently in sea water, being able to participate in water sports and stand a chance if they are in an accident in open water.

My 7yo wants to quit but I’ve said absolutely not. I’m not sure what stage she’s at as her instructor dosnt do them. She can swim 15m and has done her level 1 water safety. Swimming is a life saving skill I want her to keep going as long as possible. Her sisters stopped lessons for various reasons too young. I’ve just got my 10yo in her little sisters class, she’s older than the other kids and dosnt like it as she thinks she can swim but she isn’t as good as she thinks and is learning essential skills and techniques.

maybe look for a compromise, find a new swim school or insist on taking him swimming once a week and he has to swim for x amount of time before he gets to play.

Being able to get out to safety in a swimming pool is very different to an open body of water for the sea.

My cousin saved a girls life last summer after she got taken out by a rip at the seaside, luckily he saw her when her parents and others were oblivious. His legs were cut to shreds after being continuously thrown into rocks by the current. He’s in his 30s is very physically fit and just about made it. The girl would have had no chance if it wasn’t for him.

But how many do? How many children willingly do lengths with a parent? 25m doesn't suggest any stamina for swimming at all. The children who pass that and no more in Y6 are certainly not 'swimmers'.