Advice about swimming lessons

[tinkermom23]

When DS was about 4, he was in swimming lessons and splashed a little girl. That girl got scared and her mother insisted that our son be kicked out of the class. Since then, he refuses to go to swimming lessons of any kind. We have tried different pools, at the lake, different instructors, with his friends..... he refuses to participate. Problem is, we live in Minnesota and swimming, fishing, lakes... that's very much part of our lives. My parents live on a lake. He enjoys swimming but won't go into water over his chest. He doesn't care that he cannot pass the swimming test at camp, he just does something else when he is there.At this point, it's safety. He is 9 years old and he needs to learn the basics. I think he will love it when he gets going, but now his friends are in higher classes so he is with younger kids, which is a new problem. Individual lessons are expensive, especially if he won't participate.What should we do???????

 

[BeccaBellePA]

Do you have any family friends that could teach him? A lot of teenagers work as lifeguards in the summer and would probably charge a lot less than an "official" private lesson. If you know someone younger who could at least teach him the basics, he might be more comfortable taking some regular lessons in the future.

Good luck!

 

[dizneechic]

Is it possible he just needs to experiment on his own some to build up some confidence in order to take the lessons from someone else? My 7 y/o hated lessons too, so we bought one of the large pools you put up in your back yard (cheapie from walmart). He can stand in it and be fine, but it's also large enough for him to practice swimming (underwater, a few strokes, back float etc) and he built up some of the confidence he needed. We then ended up doing a few semi private lessons to catch him up stroke and terminology wise, and now he's on target with his peers. Before he had the chance to just do stuff alone though he would just sit out because he didn't "like to" swim.

 

[jodifla]

What he really needs is safe water time. I think pools are so much easier to monitor than lakes.

I'd be tempted to head to a hotel with a great pool for the weekend and a friend or two of his, and just let them goof around in the water.

 

[MNdisneymom]

Where in MN are you? If you are within the Mpls./St. Paul metro area, I very highly recommend Foss Swim Schools. My son has been taking lessons with them for quite a while. It costs more than typical YMCA lessons, but it is sooo worth it. There are never more than four kids in a class, the pools are all warm-water (not hot, but not freezing like some public pools), and they are very good with reluctant swimmers. There was a girl in my son's class that didn't want to get in at the start of the new session, and for two lessons they put an extra instructor in the water to help her. Also, there is a beginning level class for older kids (7+). Oh, and they do two week swim camps (monday through thursday) all summer long.

Hope this helps. I know how it is about being around lakes--we were just "up north" over the weekend and my DS is still not allowed on the dock without a vest, even though he is a great swimmer. Water safety is so important!!

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

With my kids, it wasn't an option if they wanted to do it or not. They did, like it or not, there was no arguement. Its a safety issue. Not a fun thing they can decide if they want to do it or not.

Both kids started lessons at 4yo at the local high school. DS (now 11) made it to level 7 (out of 10). I let him quit because I feel comfortable that he knows how to swim .

DD (now 5) is in level 3. She can already swim the length of an Olympic pool. I told them both either take lessons to learn to swim or stay in the baby pool, and I stuck to it. They obviously picked the lessons.

 

[K and K's Mommy]

I feel your pain. My oldest wanted nothing to do with swimming. He can now swim, but he doesn't like it.

I put him in a May refresher course, but he was not happy with me. IMO, he still needs to be stronger and have more endurance. I just told him it wasn't an option, and it is too important to be a strong swimmer. (I used the word strong because he says he can swim.)

If you can at all afford it, I would do private at his age. I can't imagine him wanting to swim with 5-6 year olds. Again, I would tell him he has to participate. You never know when there could be a boating accident.

Good luck!

 

[tinkermom23]

Thanks for the advice. DH and I are a little more optimistic now.
Lessons start in 3 weeks here, so I think we can do it. And a friend invited him to a pool party next weekend, great timing! Usually I never let him go to those since he isn't a good swimmer and I worry about the child/adult ratio. But DH will take him this time and we'll go from there.
I knew the Dis was a great place to post a question because we could get feedback from people outside of our social circle, which can be really helpful sometimes! Not that our circle of friends isn't helpful, it's just a fresh perspective from people who don't know us can be good.
Anyway, Happy summer!!

 

[RabFlmom]

Thanks for the advice. DH and I are a little more optimistic now.
Lessons start in 3 weeks here, so I think we can do it. And a friend invited him to a pool party next weekend, great timing! Usually I never let him go to those since he isn't a good swimmer and I worry about the child/adult ratio. But DH will take him this time and we'll go from there.
I knew the Dis was a great place to post a question because we could get feedback from people outside of our social circle, which can be really helpful sometimes! Not that our circle of friends isn't helpful, it's just a fresh perspective from people who don't know us can be good.
Anyway, Happy summer!!

I got my guys into swim lessons early because we live in Florida. My oldest took them for several years before his little brother was almost 3. We decided it was time for the little one. Signed him up at the club for group lessons with kids under 5. He was the only one that showed up. LOL He got private lessons for the group price. Ended up having them at the instructors condo. He went for 8 lessons and didn't learn a thing. On the way home from the 8th lesson I told him I was just going to call his teacher and tell her we would try again next year. He really liked her and started crying, so we drove back the next day for his lesson. That day he went from being a rock in the water to floating, swimming, and even diving off the side of the pool. The next lesson he swam the length of the pool and went off the dives. Now he trains lifeguards . LOL So ya never know.

 

[badblackpug]

Maybe at 9 you just need to be more insistent. If he enjoys water activities maybe tell him that he can't participate in any unless he has and participates in swimming lessons? Swimming in a safety issue. Heaven forbid he should fall in to a lake or pool somewhere and couldn't manage to get to the edge/shore.