Swimming Lesson question

[Hillbeans]

We've been taking my DS 3 for swimming lessons. At the beginning of the summer, he wanted to swim 24/7. Now, after 5 lessons, he doesn't want to go anywhere near the pool anymore.

Is this normal? We told the instructor that we may need to postpone the next 3 lessons until he's more interested in it.

Has anyone else gone through this and did this "phase" pass? I'm now afraid the work of the lessons has taken the fun out of the pool for him.

 

[CEDmom]

It probably is his age. DD had lessons last spring and summer but wanted no part of it this summer. She's almost 5. Since we don't have a pool (except a kiddie one) and no one in our neighborhood does we didn't push the issue. 3 is pretty young for a child to hang onto swimming skills/water safety. He also is probably too young to get the concept of making a committment and seeing it through. If you can postpone it's probably a good idea.

 

[debster812]

I agree with CEDMom in that 3 might be a *tad* too young for full blown swimming lessons. DS is just 7, and is finally really into them, and is swimming like a little fish right now. Of course my neice is 4 and is a complete fish after 1 session of lessons, but like everything in life, different kids learn skills at different rates

In my previous life, I was a lifeguard, swim instructor, and swim team coach. Generally kids under 4.5 or 5 have a harder time putting all the skills together time after time, to really get a lot out of lessons. Do they get familiarity with the water? YEP. And it helps in the long run, but postponing might be a good idea for now.

 

[Bob Slydell]

DS goes through that from time to time as well (he's 3 also) -- although with DS, he'll say he doesn't want to go to lessons and for the most part, by the time he gets to class he's fine and does very well. Once or twice, though, he's decided part way through lessons that he didn't want to be in the pool anymore.

I disagree with those saying that 3 is too young for full blown swimming lessons -- I think kids can do well in lessons even at that age.

 

[momsully]

You didn't mention what kind of swimming program you have your child enrolled in. There are some swim programs that put alot of emphasis on drowning prevention and that is not really enjoyable to some kids.

I run a swim program and have taught many children that come from these programs that can swim but don't enjoy as much as you would like to see. We have many three year olds in lessons that can swim and float. It really depends on the child and the quality of the instructor but fo rmany kids three is not to young for lessons.

 

[debster812]

You know what, reading Bob Slydell and Momsully's responses made me think a little bit wayyyyy back to the dark ages when I taught swimming.

I certainly think there are plenty of 3 year olds who are fully capable of learning to swim in the right program. Heck, I was one of them. But, it also has a lot to do with attention span, following directions, and going along with the group. Like I said, some kids will thrive, and some will not be ready for a few years. I was, DS was not. It also depends on the size of the group. If it's a large sized group, the majority of the kids might be sitting on the edge while only a few at a time get to be in the pool, and actually doing stuff. (That was DS's main complaint on his first go-around with lessons).

It's like everything else, we all learn at different speeds.

 

[Hillbeans]

It's more blowing bubbles and learning how to float. They also show him how to put his whole face and head in the water.

I'm so afraid of all these stories you hear about children drowning, so I thought the sooner he knows how to float and put his face in the water, the better.