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Sarah M
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| Posted: May 23 2008 at 10:46am | IP Logged
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How old were your kids when they started swimming lessons? Did you teach them yourself, or did they take formal classes?
Obviously, we are contemplating lessons this summer. We're leaning toward just going as a family once a week, and dh teaching the 6yo for the first 20 min or so, then just enjoying the water and playing around. This idea sounds very appealing to me, but I have a feeling that dd won't take as many "risks" (like putting her face underwater, etc) as readily for dh as she might for a different teacher.
What are your experiences with this?
Many thanks! (because good grief, these days I can't make a single decision around here without checking in with you all to see what you think...  )
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Cay Gibson
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| Posted: May 23 2008 at 11:16am | IP Logged
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Sarah,
I put my two oldest in swim lessons one summer. I didn't feel they learned enough to justify the $$$.
My father was a lifeguard/teacher way back and he taught my brother and I to swim just by having fun in the water. So that's what we started doing.
My two oldest went to the neighbor's swimming pool one summer and both learned to swim just by playing with their little boy. The mother would sit on the screened-in porch and read a book and keep an eye on them.
The next couple of summers Garrett joined them and learned easily.
Chelsea learned by going to our Aquatic Center facilities on a weekly basis and just playing.
Annie is 6 and I've kept her in floaties this whole time. She has no fear of the water and I know she can swim but she doesn't know it yet. You know what I mean...the moment she's in the water without floaties and can't touch bottom. This is "her" summer. Dh and I will spend time with her in the deep without floaties and give her the experience. We did this a little last summer and have been doing it the past couple of weeks but I want her stronger and more self-assured before turning her loose.
This summer we'll meet our hs group at the acquatic center once a week for a playdate so she'll have ample opportunity to build this skill.
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Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
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Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks
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PDyer
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| Posted: May 23 2008 at 11:27am | IP Logged
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My kids started lessons young, probably around four or five. I preferred delegating formal swim lessons. I read a book for a half and hour while the kids learned proper breathing and stroke technique. Win/win! 
In my experience, the more you can get them in the water while they are learning, the better. ETA we have daily access to a pool, so we can go whenever we have the time.
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Patty
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SimplyMom
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| Posted: May 23 2008 at 11:44am | IP Logged
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We do a week of formal lessons in the summer starting at four. Then we go to the pool nearly everyday in the summer and we shoot for twice a week in winter.
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Darcee
SimplyMom from Simply Catholic
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: May 23 2008 at 11:51am | IP Logged
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here.. for insurance purposes the kids have to be 4 yrs to be in lessons.
We pay for others.. pretty hard to teach one yourself when you have 2-3 more too small for instruction 
The biggest thing for us is that we have a short swimming season.. if they only have a couple weeks of instruction it's just not enough for them to retain it through the winter.. so we budget for and expect to spend the time with 6 weeks of swim lessons (sometimes it ends up 5 but the goal is 6) We pay by the week.. it's mornings so a nice time for me to be sitting outside.. And by the end of the first year the kids while not "swimmers" know enough to get their heads out of the water even in the deep end and are just generally much safer to have around the water..
Now I should say.. my kids have no fear of the water... ummm make that my kids don't even have a bit of CAUTION around the water.. swimming instruction is the only thing that makes it possible for me to take them around the water.
Last year my 7 yr old was on swim team.. struggling because she's so thin she doesn't float worth a dime.. and she was able to swim 25 yds without stopping or hanging onto anything. There's nothing to beat that confidence in the water.. for us, it means there's no panicking when you go in over your head..
As many kids as possible are on swim team.. the oldest two can swim as well as I can at this point.. The next one will be on swim team, not sure about the 6 yr old.. we'll just have to see how she does.. she's borderline for the beginnign level but we see much better progress with swim team than just lessons..
The 5 yr old will be in lessons again.. he also struggles with being so thin (no body fat to help him float)
None of the others will be old enough for lessons.. I'll probably spend my time wearing the new baby and keeping the two of them from drowning other children in the baby pool Since they're not scared of the water they swish and "swim" and jump and generally create hurricane-like conditions.. and I have to watch that they're not overwhelming more timid children
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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MarilynW
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| Posted: May 23 2008 at 12:15pm | IP Logged
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None of my kids have liked swim lessons. (But we are not a "swim team" kind of family - I do not spend huge amounts of time by the pool in the summer.
I did put the oldest 3 in lessons - the only ones worth it were private lessons. It was my dh who really taught them to swim. He is going to teach my 4 year old this summer. I would like to pay a life guard to teach the 4 year old - but he refuses to learn with anyone but his dad.
Depends on what you want lessons for - I just want my children to be able to swim as a necessary life saving skill and also to enjoy the beach and pool.
If you want your children to learn swimming for team and competition it is worth paying for lessons.
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Marilyn
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: May 23 2008 at 12:35pm | IP Logged
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It depends on what level you consider it a "life saving skill".. I think swim team imparts that skill, swim lessons are just the bare beginings of it.. but then I have a different expectation of what level my kids swimming at is "life saving".. and the thing that really gives them that skill is the concentrated swimming of swim team.. swim team is not the goal.. it is one way to reach the goal..
And then swimming (lap swimming.. actual swimming not just playing around) is an excellent way to expend energy for the kids.. and that is another goal.. they need to work hard.. and when you have limited real work.. then working hard at sports is another option.. but the physical exhertion is good for the kids and they do so much better at everything when they have that.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
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ElizLeone
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| Posted: May 23 2008 at 1:04pm | IP Logged
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For us, it's a safety issue and the kids can't opt-out.
We do swimming lessons with all the kids (from age 4-ish on up). My husband and I are both swimmers, but we can't teach them with the kind of consistency as they get in lessons. And I certainly can't teach them during the week with my toddler in tow. So we sign them up for lessons each year. Usually a block of lessons in the spring (indoor pool) and a block or two of lessons in the summer.
Our kids know that they are in swimming lessons until they pass out of Lifesaving. In my opinion, it's imperative that they can save themselves and/or another if they fall off a boat or a dock (and we don't even have a boat or a dock)
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Elizabeth in Wisconsin
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Tina
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My 12 year old seemed ready (no fear, already putting her head in the water, etc.) when she was around 7. I put her in formal lessons and she's a great swimmer now.
Last summer I put my 9 and 5 year olds in summer swim camp/lessons at our local aquatics and fitness center. My oldest did ok, but the 5 year old declared every day that she was not going back. They made her jump in and let her go under for a second from the first day. She hated it, so she has no more interest in learning yet. I'm not going to push her.
But my 9 year old was ok (she's tall enough to touch bottom, so didn't actually go under). She (my 9yo) continued through the entire school year and is now a level 3.
After that initial summer swim camp, we would go to homeschool swim lessons during the day during the school year. That was wonderful. The teachers in the summer are part time and mostly college kids, and no offense to them, they just aren't the professional ladies who teach during the school year. And half the time not alot of kids would sign up, so she had very small classes, almost like private lessons! Summer lessons can get crowded and chaotic and alot for a young child to handle.
It depends on your children, though. If they are already comfortable in the water, the summer lessons might work well for you. My girls just needed the extra attention and smaller classes.
My 9 yo current swim teachers even warned us about continuing her during the summer. They said she has come a long way and as long as she is exposed to water all summer, she should wait and continue in the fall when things quiet down.
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sunny
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| Posted: May 23 2008 at 2:30pm | IP Logged
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We live in S. Florida and feel that swimming is a priority!! There is water EVERYWHERE. My dc are only 4 and 3 so up until now, I have spent as much time as possible with them in the water. (I have slowly been taking air out of the floaties.) We havent started lessons yet although I intend to. I really like what ElizLeone said and once we begin lessons I think I will implement that same goal!
[QUOTE=ElizLeone] Our kids know that they are in swimming lessons until they pass out of Lifesaving.
I apologise if i didnt do the quote in the correct format!
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Cay Gibson
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| Posted: May 23 2008 at 4:16pm | IP Logged
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JodieLyn wrote:
Last year my 7 yr old was on swim team.. struggling because she's so thin she doesn't float worth a dime.. |
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THis reminds me of my childhood. I was so thin (or "skinny" as I was frequently called and "frequently" hated being called  ) I couldn't even swim down to the bottom of the shallow end of the pool to pick-up objects. My brother had a heavier density than I.
The girls and I just got home from a park/water park day and I was thinking about this thread...how unschooling-ly my children have learned to swim and how formal lessons probably work better for others.
Like unschooling works for some families and others need a more structured approach. Different strokes for different folks (excuse the pun ).
It got me to thinking how important the skill of learning to swim is for all children...no matter how that skill is learned.
My oldest ds goes out frequently in a boat. He learned to swim while young so I know if something tragic happens it will not be because he is ill-prepared or unfamiliar with water.
He had a very good hsing buddy who would go out frequently when they were high school age. His friend never told him that he could not swim until one day something happened and D admitted he could not swim. Turns out his mother had (has) a fear of water and never got near the water nor allowed her children near it. My grandmother has the same fear.
I told Corey how dangerous that was. For both of them involved. And I told Corey that his friend needed to learn before they went out again.
Corey ended up teaching his friend how to swim.
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Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
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Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks
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Leslie
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| Posted: May 23 2008 at 4:50pm | IP Logged
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Hi Sarah,
Last year the older kids took lessons during the summer (then 5 and 3). I think they learned more when they went swimming with dh. Still, it was fun and got us out of the house every day for a few weeks. This year they are taking 4 weeks indoor and then probably outdoor lessons in August. I'm leaning towards year round indoor lessons for everyone starting in September. We usually spend a fair amount of summer at Grandma's house and soon Kyler will be old enough to take sailing lessons in her town. Being a strong swimmer is required!
I think the reason I'm excited about swimming as an activity next year is that we can all go together at the same time. I'm just not ready to start going in three different directions yet!
Leslie
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Leslie
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JeniferS
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It might be a little different for us because we live in Phoenix where everyone has a pool and there are a high number of drownings every year.
So, both my children started swim lessons at 1 1/2 yrs old. They've taken classes every spring/summer since that time.
We use an indoor swim school that has a 4:1 ratio of students to instructor and go once a week.
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Jenifer, mom to Harrison, 7 and Olivia, 5
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SuzanneG
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| Posted: June 02 2008 at 12:19am | IP Logged
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Sarah~I was going to ask questions about swimming lessons too, back in April, then forgot about it and now you've done it for me!
The past couple of summers I (or dh) have just consistently gone to the pool during open swim with my 4 and up crowd to play and get them comfortable in the water. I took a neighbor girl too, and her mother watched my baby and toddler for me.
But, now there are just too many to do that....and my neighbor's not around now to babysit anyway, so I can't be giving swimming lessons anymore  . The good news is that my 5.5 and 7 year old are BEGGING for lessons, so they'll learn more (hopefully) cuz they really want to be there and are motivated. Since it wasn't a safety issue for us, I really don't care when/how they learn how to swim. Only that it's not a waste of time and money when/if they DO want to take lessons.
I think going as a family is a great idea for you for now!!! And, don't worry about the 6-yr-old not being as daring for dh as for a teacher....it doesn't really matter....they do it when they do it. My 5.5 and 7-year-old are very comfortable in the water and can swim....they learned just by playing and being with us.
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Suzanne in ID
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LisaD
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We start lessons between 3 and 4 years old for our kids. We really love the Swim America program. My 9 year old is determined to make it through level 10 this summer, my almost 7 year old is at the middle level, and my 4 1/2 year old is still in the little pool 
It's all about safety for us.
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~Lisa
Mama to dd(99), ds(01), ds(03) and ds(06)
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Swimming Lessons
