Registered User
Your poor friends - that would be absolutely horrific to go through. :hugs:
I will be putting her into classes when she is a little bit older but as I mentioned right now when its all about water familiarisation, instead of just taking her to the pool and playing I have this option of doing lessons with her myself.
Thanks for sharing though and I agree that water safety and lessons are integral to our very water based culture here in Australia which is why I want to start this now.
Good on you Tan.
Having her familiar and comfortable in water over the coming years will greatly assist her in learning to swim. I'm a swimming teacher (as a side job) and the difference in kids who have grown up with water, and those that haven't is very big.
BellyBelly Member
If you have the patience, time and pool to do it in, then go for it - i commend you. I have been taking my girls to swimming lessons since each of them was 6 months old....so nearly 4 years now . Every Monday morning, off we trot to swimming - and yes, like you i worry about the cost. But for me swimming is an integral part of any aussie kid growing up....- it should be affordable too.........More babies in Australia should be taught how to swim given the rate of drowning accidents.
Registered User
I am so sorry to hijack your thread !
We are very lucky that we are able to afford to send our child to swimming lessons. But it is quite expensive !
One suggestion is that swimming lessons are govt. subsidised (much like childcare).
I think Water familarisation is so vital. and good on you for taking that 1st step.
(i will get off my soap box now)
Registered User
Not hijacking at all, they are expensive but I will be happy to pay for them when she is older like I said and will actually learn to swim but I didn't know they were subsidised????? Im in Victoria and have never heard of that - especially as I am a school teacher and when our kids at school can't afford the lessons there isn't alot we can do. Could you forward me any info you can find about it please?
Registered User
Sorry , it is not currenlty subsidised . It is proposal being floated.
Registered User
Good on you Tan. I've been taking Izzy to classes for the last couple of months now and its amazing the difference in her - she's gone from just flopping in the water to actually kicking her little legs and will now swim underwater back to the surface without being held, reach for the pool edge etc. I don't for a second think she could save herself at this point but its such a great headstart. If I had my own pool, I'd probably have done a few classes to see what they teach, and then just continue with it at home until she gets to the next stage because its all repetitive now until she's 18 months old. I think our lifestyle is such that water familiarisation and competent swimming skills are something all parents must give to their kids, so tragedies like Mib's story are never heard of again.
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