DS just not getting it with swimming. Any advice?

[mjkacmom]

I understand your point, but for some people it is a matter of balance, a vestibular issue. They feel disoriented if they cannot see clearly, and being disoriented in water often leads to panic. (I know that if you have done any lifeguarding you've seen the phenomenon of a panicked person swimming down while trying to get out of the water.)

Vision can be another issue. My DH and DS both are legally blind without glasses. They wear prescription goggles while swimming, and it makes a HUGE difference in how comfortable they feel in the water. Without goggles they simply refuse to get in, because they cannot gauge the distance to the side of the pool.

This is why they won't let kids at our Y start swim lessons with goggles. Once they can swim without them, they are free to use them. They just don't want kids to fall into the pool, and panic, because they don't have their goggles, and are wiping their faces instead of swimming.

 

[my3princes]

DS is 5 1/2. We have a pool in our neighborhood and my Mom takes him to the beach alot so he has lots of exposure to water.

He still seems afraid of the water though. There have been no traumatic events with water.

Our pool opened on May 1 and he still doesnt want to put his face in the water and has to be coaxed to jump off the side to me or DH. We have done swim lessons the last two summers and planned to do them again in June but now we're wondering if we should try something else.

We thought about private lessons. Or maybe sitting away from the pool at the YMCA lessons - if we're not right there maybe he'll focus more? Or just trying the different methods like kicking and blowing bubbles on our own.

We're just really frustrated because this is a kid that usually has no fear. We see kids much much younger than him diving right in. And since he IS around water alot there's a safety concern too.


Any advice?

Lots of kids have a fear of water, it is natural. I've been a life guard and swim instructor and I have 3 boys of my own. I'm always amazed at how quickly kids get over the fear in a group situation outside of swim lessons. Specifically for my boys it was seeing and playing with kids their own age, that they didn't know at campground swimming pools. They got the if they can do it I can mentality. I also love the blow up water wings. They give them security to do things on their own. Of course you MUST supervise closely as they can pop or slip off, by it will definitely boost confidence. I do not advocate goggles or plugging the nose as those habits are hard to break and if you ever want to spontaniously swim and don't have the goggles some people are incapable of making the adjustment. There isn't a single stroke that you can swim while plugging your nose. What it comes down to is time and comfort. Each kid is different, but each one is capable.

 

[esk]

Private lessons are worth every penny.

We did group lessons (2 times a week, 30 minutes, for a month) and it was a waste.....6 kids and my kids "swam" for about 5 minutes total.

then we got one of the instructors to teach us on the side ($15 for 30 minutes, which was 15 min per kid) and my son was swimming within a week. My daughter, we'll still working on it, she's 5 and not real big on going under the water.

We also did the lessons for 2 weeks straight, 5 nights a week, and that really helped. Otherwise, IMO, it was too long between lessons and they had to start all over again.

We're doing private lessons again next week, to improve DS's swimming and get DD to where she won't drown. That is my big thing, just get across the pool, I don't care what it looks like, but don't drown!!

 

[princessmom29]

I am in a bit of a different situation. My DD6 has no fear of the water. She jumps from the side of the pool, puts her face under ect, and has since she could walk. My problem is that she is OVER confident. She cannot swim as well as she thinks she can and is scares me sometimes. We are doing real lessons for the firsttime this summer, and not justswimming with Mommy. Hopefully sher will gain some more skills and i won't have to worry so much abotu her getting into trouble.