HELP! 2yr old ds suddenly hates swimming!

[Mothlene]

I started taking my son swimming when he was 2 months old, every week. From 4 months, he went to baby swim classes weekly and loved it. He grew more and more confident, to the point when by April this year (23 months) he could swim a tiny bit with arm bands on. We moved house in May and it took a while for me to reorganise the lessons. I told him yesterday we were going swimming again and he was very excited - he even got a towel ready! Very excited this morning as well. He was fine getting changed and walking to the pool. When we got there, he refused to get in and promptly stayed on the side shaking his head saying 'no'. When I lifted him in, he went absolutely ballistic - screaming and thrashing and screaming - ruining the class for everyone else. What has gone wrong? Is it that I didn't take him for 3 months? He had that break last year as well and was fine. I have no idea what has happened and I'm very upset. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

has he started reacting like this to anything else?

could be the start of terrible two's and the swimming is just a co-incidence !

Hi and thanks for your reply. He hasn't reacted like this to anything else, although in the last week he started replying 'no' to just about everything myself or my husband asked him - this has carried on, it seems it's his new response to anything. However, he didn't have this reaction to the prospect of swimming.

He was at the same pool with a friend of his for about a year and now we have moved. Perhaps it is something to do with the different pool/ instructor/ no friend. He was happy to get changed and was fine until it was time to get in.

I'd say it was a combo of diff pool, the break, him being older and therefore more aware. Persevere! Can you visit the cafe there for a cuppa in between to get him used to the new place? Go for a fun swim rather than a lesson to ease him back into it?

Many thanks.

Yes, my mum thinks it may have a lot to do with him being older - 3 months is a big difference at this age I suppose. You are right about doing a fun swim first - I was meaning to do that all summer, but he did have a few gos in a paddling pool and was fine.

I will take him in a few days for a fun swim with his dad.

Thanks again.