When do you teach your child to swim?

[Waterboy]

I was wondering when I should start to get my child off his armbands. He is slowly approaching 4 years and is starting to looks a bit too big to be wearing floaties. I was told if a child can dunk their heads into the water without any problems then it's time. However I wanted to get some feedback/advice from other parents. TIA

[Waterfather]

I am not a parent, but I think that you should DEFINITELY take off the armbands when he is ready. Some kids might be ready earlier than others. You shouldn't measure this by age!

Help him, don't just dump him in the water thinking that he can fend by himself. Are you OK?

[Splish Splash]

So according to Waterfather a child will take off his armbands and start swimming on his own??? Did you learn that way? I presume you are OK.

[globetrotter]

I started my son off without floaties, altogether, but that's a different approach.
I'd say take them off and try him in the small pool. I remember it was quite different when my armbands came off - (a great relief not to have those 'pressure cuffs' on, but) no support to keep me up in the water. And just make sure that he doesn't jump in at the deep end, with the false confidence that he'll float the same way as before.

[Waterfather]

Splish said:

So according to Waterfather a child will take off his armbands and start swimming on his own??? Did you learn that way? I presume you are OK.

No, what I meant is that you should take it slow with your child, and help him, not just take off his armbands and dump him in the water.

I learned with a gorgeous teacher (I was 7 years old, and she was gorgeous. I can still remember her)! Thank you for asking!

[Swimming teacher]

Three years old is a good age for a child to start swimming lessons. By that time they should be physically and mentally at the right stage to benefit from classes.

I'd go for group classes with an experienced teacher rather than private lessons.

Good luck.

[Waterboy]

Dear Swimming Teacher,

I would have thought private lesson would be better than groups classes where it can be distracting for the child. Would a parent be recommended to go into the water as well?

[Swimming teacher]

No, strangely enough, 3 year olds generally do better in a class with a few other kids their own age and NO parents in the water. Well, least that's my experience. All 20 years...

I guess the magic factor is peer pressure, that often maligned occurrence. As long as there is a kid that is a little more adventurous and advanced than your kid (too far ahead isn't good either) your little one will be probably be brave enough to have a go. That said, a class full of 'screamers' is never a good thing...

I also look at group lessons as a good little introduction to learning in a group situation, something that is pretty standard in education. 30 minutes once/twice a week is a small enough chunk of time to keep the lessons positive and meaningful. Choose your time well (it's often better to wait for a time when the little one isn't tired/hungry etc.)

I know that I held off putting my own kids in lessons until they all turned three. before that they played, splashed and had fun, with no arm bands!!! (I LOATHE those things!) When I finally put them into lessons with some new friends they all promptly 'swam' (eyes in, good kick, arm movement but not full recovery) within 4 - 5 weeks. It was pretty quick and painless.

Go to a good swim school and pay the bucks.

[Waterboy]

Thank you so much for your reply.

I have since hidden my child's armbands as he as become too dependant on it. He starts rummaging through my bags to see if I've brought them along but once he knows it's not there, then off he goes into the water with the instructor. He seems to be doing well so far so hopefully with 30 minute lessons everyday he will be able to swim on his own soon! He enjoys it now and loves his new 18 year old swim instuctor who's a cute little thing!

[Floaties]

"I learned with a gorgeous teacher (I was 7 years old, and she was gorgeous. I can still remember her)! "

Did she have nice floaties?

OP - How's it going? I'm with the others. Spend tons of time with your kid in the pool encouraging and helping. Let them hold the edge and take ever longer swims to you in the middle. Circumnavigate the pool and let them swim across the corners. Pretty soon they will be crossing and next you know they will be swimming laps.

I'm amazed at how many people I meet that can't swim. I know it's just perspective having lived near coastal waters my whole life.

[mimi]

Our first two children were very reluctant to lose their armbands. With the next two, we decided never to use the. They would play in the baby pool band gradually got used to being splashed, eventually putting their head under. Eventually, both children taught themselves to swim (doggy paddle) at age 2. We sent them for lessons at age 3. I know this isn't much help to you as yours is now 4, but perhaps next time (if you have more children) you can avoid the dreaded arm bands altogether. It does mean that you have to be extra vigilant, but arm bands aren't a life saving device anyway so a child still needs to be watched carefully in them.

I think in your situation, I would stick to the baby pool without arm bands for a while until he gets his confidence - although a good swimming instructor could probably resolve this problem fairly quickly.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Neither of mine ever used arm bands. both could swim before they could walk. Started them in the pool at 3 months. Today, needless to say they have respect for the water but no real fear of it. If you thinks about it, it makes good sense to throw them in the deep end as early as possible. They spent the first 9 months of their lives swimming in water and it was dark as well! I could swim before I was a year old.

These are of my son when he was 8 months old:

[excalif]

SMS - Very cool photos.

I think kids pick up a lot of their fears from their parents. When our son was like 1 y/o we had him on a small float in the middle of the pool. My wife turned he back of a second and he fell off.

He was only under a couple of seconds but as soon as I saw her reaching for him I told her to start laughing. When we hauled him up we were both making happy faces and as a result he thought it was fun not scary.

[Waterboy]

Thanks for all the input and advice. It's been a few months since I last posted and would like to gladly say my daughter learnt how to swim without her armbands after 2 weeks (she was 3.5years) with a swimming instructor. I thought it'd be difficult to loose the armbands but thankfully after "loosing" them...she had no choice but to go in. She also learnt with another girl and they were in that competitive spirit so that gave her a boost to learn faster.