Swimming lessons

[fah]

One of the Christmas gifts that we got for each of the mini fahs is a set of swimming lessons at our local rec centre.

The only problem is that the middle mini fah doesn't want them. As a matter of fact she is dead set against going. She feels that at 6 years old she is a good enough swimmer and doesn't need anymore lessons.

I think the problem lies with the fact that she went to a higher level and now everything is more difficult with more concentration on the skills than the playing part that she enjoyed with the earlier lessons.

Her older sister (8yrs) will be in the same class (at the same time) but probably a different group as she has taken this level before and is a stronger swimmer. The younger sister (5yrs) also has her lessons at the same time but is one of the beginner stage classes.

I may regret this but I am going to make her take the lessons. I feel that being a good swimmer is one of those life skills that everyone needs.

 

[beli]

In Australia swimming lessons are compulsory unless the child has a religious note.

When I was 5 or 6, and living in the desert, there was a particularly bad flash flood one year and I had to swim to safety (with adults assisting me). You really dont know when and where you will need to be able to swim, including in the desert.

I would make her attend swimming lessons. I recently pinned my daughter to the floor to have her 4 year old injections.

Some times tough love is the way to go.

 

[indra]

Plus swimming is a great exercise. And it's far easier to learn when you are young than when you are older.



(Best ever swimming related quote -- "When I was young I thought the smell of chlorine was glamourous." Okaaaayyy.... )

 

[TheBrazilianFly]

I used to love my swimming class, except leaving time cause it was too cold outside the pool.

I read this thread's title as Swinging lessons.....

 

[Mr. BAW]

Beli's description of what happened during a flash flood, combined with the horrific events of last week's tsunami, should make it pretty easy for you to convince middle-fah that swimming is important...compel her to believe that she may be a future "life-saver" if another child (without lessons) ever had difficulty, she could be a heroine! good luck!

 

[Rono]

I started swimming lessons when i was 2 years old. The family of my father are living in a part of the Netherlands with a lot of lakes and they had to fish a dead body of a nephew out of the water.

The children of my brother are 3 ( almost ) and 1 years old and they have swimming lessons also. ( the youngest a get used to water lesson or something like that )

 

[nbcrusader]

Kids don't understand the concept of "water-safe" and are always questioning the idea of "who's the parent". Make them go!

 

[U2democrat]

Glad to see you back, nb!

My mom made me take swimming lessons when I was little. She didn't believe me when I told her I already knew how to swim. Sure enough, on the first day, they bumped me up 3 classes to the most advanced one because I already knew how to swim! I showed her.


Ok that's the end of my childhood rant.

 

[nbcrusader]

Great to be back!

My 4-year old took lessons in July. By the end of the week, the coach would hold one of her braids (she has long braided hair) and my daughter felt "safe" enough to swim around.

In September, she joined a swim team (got to keep up with big brother) and has practice three days a week.

Swimming is great for kids. Not only is it healthy, but they sleep very well at night

 

[U2democrat]

Alot of my friends are on swim teams still. They're very healthy, atheletic, and it helps with the scholarships too.

 

[Lancemc]

Growing up in Cape May and Wildwood (New Jersey if any of you know where I'm talking about) I was sort of born in an Ocean/Swimming Pool summer environment. I've been able to swim since I was like 3 I think, naturally. Call it a gift. When I was about 5-10 we used to go to the beach a few times a week during the summer, practically all day long. So, swimming was just always a natural thing for me.

That doesn't really help you, but I like talking about my childhood. You understand.

 

[anitram]

Definitely make her go. It's for her own good and in 20 years it's a skill she'll be happy to have and won't even remember she didn't want to have the lessons.

I was born by the Mediterranean, I swam like a fish by the time I was 2. None of us took lessons on the islands though - they just threw you in water, sink or swim. Never had a problem.

 

[verte76]

Swimming is great. I go to the pool to relieve stress, move my arthritic joints and generally to have a good time. It's an important life skill.

 

[Laura M]

We didn't get to go swimming much when we were younger, we only really went during the summer. I regret that now because I can swim but I'm not a strong swimmer. My brother and I started going swimming in the summer and I think I've gained a lot of confidence and built up my stamina. It's really embarassing when elderly people are swimming much faster than you and make it look like it's really easy work. I do regret the fact that I didn't have the chance to learn when I was younger, there were no swimming clubs where I lived and swimming lessons only took place in a certain leisure centre and they were very expensive. My parents could just about afford to send me to ballet lessons so swimming lessons on top of that was out of the question.

i think you should send mini fah to the lessons.

 

[fah]

Thanks everyone...I'm sure she will come around

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

I don't know how to swim.

 

[Doozer61]

i can only swim with a mask on my face. i hate putting my face in the water.

 

[U2_Muse]

I didn't learn to swim as a child and now I really regret it. I was even looking into taking them this month, but the class is full.

 

[fah]

~Update~

Today was swimming lesson day.

After waking up and crying in her bed for 30 minutes. She got into her swimsuit and went to the pool. Once she got to the pool everything changed. Besides her older sister, 2 other friends were in the same class and she had the instructor that she had the last time

All of a sudden swimming is the best thing since Spongebob.

Thanks again everyone

 

[indra]

Yay! Great news!

 

[Tania]

My daughter was very similar with her swimming lessons at the same age (and like Beli said they are extremely important here in Oz!). The Instructor suggested she work at the UN as she was so good at negotiating every step of every lesson. She now is a good swimmer and very confident in the ocean.

I wish swimming had been compulsory in NI when I was a kid.

Don't you just love how kids can have you so stressed out and then will happily go off and do what they are supposed to while we

 

[wolfeden]

...Now if you can tell me how to keep the wolfe-pup from turning blue within 30 seconds of getting in the water! We got her the 'wetsuit' and everything.. I try and dump 2500 calories a DAY down this kid and she's still a beanpole, the pool is heated and she still has the I-ch-ch-ch-'m-ch-ch-ch-not-ch-ch-ch-cold!-ch-ch-ch! going on... She'll be 6 in a few weeks and we're hoping to finish her swim lessons this spring.. it didn't come to her naturally as it did for me, so we've put a lot of time into it... then once we get her finally getting the idea of how to co-ordinate everything she's too cold to continue!! aaauuuggghhhh!!

 

[arw]

Make her go! I loved swimming lessons and took them for as long as I could. It actually turned into my being on a swim team so it was more like going to swim practice than lessons but that's what we always called them. I couldn't go due to an injury my 7th grade year and after that I didn't go back but I probably went swimming 3 or 4 times a week up until then. I loved it! She'll probably be the one that's on the swim team in high school!

 

[fah]

...Now if you can tell me how to keep the wolfe-pup from turning blue within 30 seconds of getting in the water! We got her the 'wetsuit' and everything.. I try and dump 2500 calories a DAY down this kid and she's still a beanpole, the pool is heated and she still has the I-ch-ch-ch-'m-ch-ch-ch-not-ch-ch-ch-cold!-ch-ch-ch! going on... She'll be 6 in a few weeks and we're hoping to finish her swim lessons this spring.. it didn't come to her naturally as it did for me, so we've put a lot of time into it... then once we get her finally getting the idea of how to co-ordinate everything she's too cold to continue!! aaauuuggghhhh!!

What about one of those 'wet suit' bathing suits. You know the kind they have for water skiing and other water sports. The other thing you might try is a cap for her hair. If her hair/head stays dry that might make her stay warmer.

Good luck with your 6 year old

 

[wolfeden]

Ooooooooh. a CAP!!!!!
jebus, didn't even cross my mind. I cram a hat on her head every day to go out to school to keep her warm, we lose some ridiculous proportion of body heat through our heads, and this doesn't even occur to me... Oy.
THANK YOU!

 

[u2granny]

My oldest son fought me about swimmings lessons and I made him go. He was on the swim team in high school.

 

[Salome]

swimming is fun
as long as you wear a helmet

 

[fah]

Oh yes, Salome

It's important to wear protection when swimming

 

[Angela Harlem]

I'm glad she ended up liking it fah. Swimming is an important life skill that everyone needs to know.

 

[Rono]

I didn't learn to swim as a child and now I really regret it. I was even looking into taking them this month, but the class is full.