Now that warmer weather is here and we'll all be enjoying more time at the beach or the pool, let's talk about teaching our kiddos to swim! How old were your children when they first started swimming? Did you teach them yourself or enroll them in lessons?
My girls at 5 and 7 still are not good swimmers but they love the pool. I have not enrolled them in lessons - all the ones are very expensive here and/or hard to fit into our schedule since I work full time.
Leila: My kids have been swimming since they were babies. They are now 4 and 6 and swim with floaties on. We are hoping to sign them up for swimming lessons eventually, but it's so darn expensive down here!
Emily: My son started swimming lessons when he was 6 months old. It was important to me that he learn to swim right at an early age because we live so close to the water. He is a bit reluctant when it comes to "big waves" but loves the water! He'll be turning three in a few weeks and I'm happy with is comfort level around the water.
Sarah: My daughter loves the water but she has not had formal swimming lessons. Our hope was to start her this summer (she'll be 3 in August). I am not the best swimmer in the world so I want her to learn from someone who actually knows what they are doing.
LaVonne: My daughter learned to swim when she was 3. My husband taught her. She is a little fish - loves the water so much. This summer, she is 4, and we are thinking of putting her into swimming lessons. We want her to learn her strokes and be able to swim better above the water. We just aren't sure if we want to put her in a private lesson or a group lesson.
Mary: My six year old started lessons when he was three (going on four) but the instructors were college kids who thought he was funny. They struggled to really teach him because they were distracted by him! He did learn the basic though and absolutely loves the water now as well as the lessons. Baby girl (two years old) will be taking lessons with her brother staring in July. Her day care provider has a pool and she feels very comfortable around water (including holding her breath and going under) but since we go so often now (between the public pool, beach and day care) I think lessons are necessary. I tried to teach my son but even though his instructors were more his buddy he still learned more from them.
Emily: In my opinion, lessons are necessary because trained professionals are going to teach lifesaving skills that little ones need when they're around the water. I just found a group toddler class that is beginning at the end of July and I'm thinking of enrolling The Boy. I'll be excited to watch him swim while receiving instruction, his prior lessons were water babies with me. Although he has lessons at school during the summer months, I can't help but feel that more is better.
Ghada: I was in swimming lessons with my 4 .5 year old when he was a baby, about 6 months and we did 2 rounds and then we stopped. We were living 2 minutes from the beach at the time so he was always in the water. He got spooked after falling off a boogie board with his Dad and was a bit weary for awhile but he's back into the water again. I am not having as much luck finding lessons with my 8 month old. But I definitely think professional lessons are key - if nothing else, it teaches us the parents tricks we would have never known.
Thank you for your valuable input Leila of Life as Leels, Emily, Nap Time is My Time, Sarah, East 9th Street, LaVonne, Long Wait For Isabella, Mary, iNeed a Playdate,and Ghada of Mama goes BAM.
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