Westy, it IS our local one and I've just rang them and the woman has told me to basically suck it up and that it takes 4 weeks for them to settle into a swim class. Ugh. I'm so annoyed right now.
Thats crap. Sure it is a new experience & most kids probably do take that few weeks to settle in. BUT She took your DD & dunked her in with out letting her be comfy first. No way is DD going to go along next time & think, "OH I remember this, it was great fun"
I would post pone the lessons for a few months & just keep up with your own water play together.
You need to reintroduce her slowly at her own pace.
IMO professional Swimming lessons so young have no real benefit. You can build water confidence & safety through your own common sense & you can do it at a pace that suits both you & your child that way.
I can't believe they took DD off of you and just dunked her in her first lesson. WT??? I wouldn't go back either.
Our swim centre actually tells us NOT to put them under in their first lesson because all they'll remember is the trauma and it makes it harder to settle in. And the instructor never takes a child from their parent. DD's first lesson was her first time in a pool and she clung to me the whole time. The instructor went with it and we did the activities she felt comfortable with. By the end of the lesson she was quite happy to be in the water and I was satisfied with that for a first lesson. The instructor uses a doll to show us what to do and also tells us to watch other parents to see how to do it.
Actually, I'm really peeved on your behalf. It ****s me no end that its so accepted to treat babies as if they aren't people. Why are they any less deserving of our respect? If the instructor did that to an older child or another adult, it would be assault.
I hope your DD feels better after her nap. She must be exhausted.
I would be demanding to speak to the Centre Mgr. How dare they take the baby from you and dunk her that is SO bad - forcing little ones to do something and expect them just to get use to it.
If you have no luck then get Hubby to ring them I often find that dealing with a dad is far more intimidating. If they tell you to suck it up again I would say something about getting in contact with the local paper as they love stories like this ....... nothing like bad publicity for a business.
Mann I would be so livid I would be spitting vemon down the phone line
I rang DH and his simple no BS response was "F**k the money, you're not taking her back, no way, we'll do it ourselves".
I feel horrible for her being put through that when it doesn't seem to be the norm. Poor wee sausage. I'm going to take her swimming on Monday - just the two of us, to make sure she's not completely traumatised. I hope this hasn't done any damage. DD is very sensitive and aware of her surroundings so fingers crossed she'll be ok - she loves swimming with me!
I found with DD that just by playing in the shallows of the toddler pool where she could sit was enough. Sing little songs like "wash your dirty hair, wash your dirty hair, rub and scrub and rub and scrub, wash your dirty hair" while flicking little bits of water onto her head from the top.
we sing ring a rosie and at the end I count 1 2 3 and make a big puffy face for DD and quickly dunk her but it has taken a while to get to that point.
We also sing humpty dumpty on the edge of the pool and I encourage her to jump in, not go under at first but its a trust thing. We also swim in the deep end of the toddler pool I hang on to her under the arms and go SWISSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHH SWISSHHHHHHH and move her around, I try to make it as silly and as fun as I can.
Maybe start just bobbing in the water making a silly sound like bop bop bop and you bob along??
Just enjoy yourself don't be nervous or anxious as she will pick up on that and become more clingy.
DD has almost finished her first term of lessons and we are yet to dunk or even put face in the water. She is nearly 8.5 mths. I know some swim schools do just dunk them in, first class, but I'm not comfy with that idea either.
In our class we are teaching them the cues for going under the water, so you say "DD, are you ready? 1, 2, 3!" and on the "3" you do things like pour water over their head/face, or if you are 'swimming' them along on their tummy you dip them down towards the water to chin depth and up again. So basically they get used to the cues and on the "3" they should start to close their eyes (and hopefully mouth!) in anticipation. You can also do this in the bath, and the washing hair thing is a good idea too. And lots of nursery rhymes/singing as Nae suggested
Honestly MummaSue, lessons conducted by properly qualified instructors are a very good investment, please dont let this one bad school taint your idea of lessons and instructors!! Teaching your own kid to do things only works to a point, and its not about knowing or not knowing the drills to do (although I had to do extensive training to be qualified to teach) but more that once your child is settled in with a teacher they love, that teacher will push their capabilities further than a parent would. Im a pretty strict parent on my kids, I have never pussyfooted when it comes to getting my kids to do things, but they STILL do it better for their swim instructors than they do me and I DO have the training to teach them properly.
That said, PLEASE call the school back, ask for the manager or even owner (if its owner managed) and tell them if they dont refund your money because of your justified complain about their shoddy service you will call fair trading and report them. If they still have that disgusting attitude and refuse to help, A) tell them you'll be ensuring you tell everyone you know that they should NOT utilise their services, and B) actually call fair trading and report them. You can also try calling Swim Australia (if they are a reputable qualified swim school they will be registered with Swim Australia) or ASCTA (Australian Swimming Coaches and Teachers Association) and ask them what you can do to make a complain to them about their clear disregard for childrens wellbeing.
All swim schools and teachers should be registered with Swim Australia and ASCTA. If they arent, walk away and find a service that is. If they are registered with them their training is undetaken by them, I had to do 30hrs training in the pool with a qualified instructor PLUS the SAT course PLUS a specific Aquababies training course. It has to be renewed every four years because obviously things can change the way we teach kids. My work actually keeps up with the latest research in swim teaching and adjusts it accordingly as needed. We have quarterly staff training and always have staff meetings before shift to get reminders about what we can and cant do as well as any other complaints or issues that have cropped up from parents or the bosses.
ETA - most swim schools Ive been to have a first lesson or two free policy so your not locked in incase the swim school does not suit your needs. I think its disgusting they charged you a full term, did not give you a free intro lesson and are now being horrible about your justified complaint. Shame on them.
Last edited by Freya; April 14th, 2011 at 11:34 AM.
We started DD at 4 months (we live near the beach and have a pool so wanted to start asap) and she hated it. She screamed for about 85% in the first lesson and it was only by lesson 4 that she was going okay. Thankfully DH took her because I don't think I could have coped. Anyway, he used to just get out of the pool and sit on the side and watch the other kids with her if she really chucked a spack. Anyway it all went fine until recently when she doesn't want to leave him again. It's seperation anxiety, I am 100% sure so he doesn't make her, he just gets the instructor to tell him what to do every second time or demonstrate with another child. So one time she goes to the instructor and one time she stays with DH. Apparently she is coping but not overly happy but recovers well so we're perservering.
FWIW - my DD was put under water in her first lesson too?
Im always in two minds about them, mostly because when we take our kids to the pool or beach there is always one kid more than the two of us (Dh and I) and for peace of mind I would rather they wear them (esp Ds2 being autistic he doesnt understand risks and consequences). My supervisors at work really hate floaties, they encourage us to encourage parents NOT to use them because they give kids a false sense of security and interferes with them learning to swim/float. And they honestly do.
BUT safety is also important. So we have our boys wear swim VESTS. Definately do not use arm floaties, gosh they are a nightmare (and I can always tell when I get a new kid who obviously thinks they can swim because they wear arm floaties!). It really worries me when I get new kids who tell me "Oh I can swim all by myself, my mum/dad/nanna/whoever says Im a great swimmer!" and I say "Ok then, show me your awesome swimming".............................and then the kid sinks to the bottom. Because they can swim WITH floaties. Its false security and mindsets like that that make them think they dont NEED to be safe around water because they can swim. We all know thats bullpoopy, even people who can swim can get into trouble (but it definately greatly lessens the risk of drowning).
So if your keen on a floatation device get a vest not arm floaties. And always spend equal time in AND out of the vest. We swim our 4 and 3yo's in the vest for 10min then the rest of the time out of it because they can swim well enough to get to the side of the pool safely and keep afloat. Our 2yo gets the vest for more time because he cannot swim well as yet but we do try to take him out of it towards the end and I run through his drills (and he jumps in and out of the pool lol).
Also another great idea for kids over 18mths who cant really swim is for them to use a noodle. We use them as part of our drills at work, the kids aged between 2-7 that cannot swim for extended periods on their own use them to practice kicking, paddle arms and bubbles. You sit their arms over the noodle so they can freely move them and get them to kick their legs, paddle their arms and blow bubbles. They get freedom of movement but they are supported in the water. Obviously you should never leave them unsupervised to do this because they can fall off but that goes without saying
All kids scream esp if they are new to water/lessons. Even my youngest did (and still does sometimes). Alot of kids can be fine until they hit around 18mths then their stubborness kicks in and they decide they call the shots, so the screaming and fighting starts all over again. The key is consistency. Keep going, eventually they will settle (again). Most babies hate being on their back. But floating is an essential safety skill to learn. It can be the difference between life and death in a drowning indicent. Better a screaming kid on top of the pool during lessons than a not screaming kid on the bottom of a pool.
It just feels like controlled crying but in the swimming pool to me She needs lessons as neither my DH or I are very good swimmers - coming from Scotland it was never pushed on us to be good swimmers, oh how I wish it had been.
AAHHH. I don't know what to do for the best now. Maybe postpone the lessons for a month or so and take her myself for a bit? Practicing the things we did yesterday?
Do some research and find a well recommended swim school. Ask them if you could come and watch a lesson, even have one free lesson to see what they are like. Most decent schools will NOT have a problem with it at all. Only stay with a school your all comfortable with, but its definitely beneficial to keep taking her. Yes that lesson was traumatic, but they will be whether she goes now or in a years time when she is older. All kids new to lessons get upset and cry. Its completely normal. My 2yo did it today and he has been swimming since he was 6mths old. He was in a seahorse lesson with his brothers, he knew the teacher (she takes him for aquababies), everything was familiar to him yet he still cried and called out for me because for once I wasnt with him. Except for when I left to go pay at reception then he was fine lol I know its hard to listen to them cry about it but they honestly do stop after awhile and as long as its not "some stranger is shoving me under the water and I cant see my mum HELP!" screaming then its not going to harm them. Give her a couple of weeks, most certainly do some water play on your own with her, then find somewhere fabulous to take her back to.
Some drowning stats for those interested!
The 2010 Royal Life Saving Drowning Report says that 314 people drowned in a year (june09-july10), mostly in pools or rivers/lakes. Thats a 12% increase from 5 years ago. 56 children (0-17yo) drowned, and of those half were under 5yo. For every child that drowns, 3 children end up in hospital from near drowning related injuries.
Last edited by Freya; April 14th, 2011 at 01:08 PM.
She needs lessons as neither my DH or I are very good swimmers - coming from Scotland it was never pushed on us to be good swimmers, oh how I wish it had been.
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks