i've just recently started taking 19 month old dd to the pool, and we had our first swimming lesson last week...
she loves the water, but is not as confident as the other kids in the class, its a bit of a battle to hold her in any other position than on my hip with her arms tightly around me...
There was a time when I could sort of "swim her" through the water, but now she is very reluctant and battles me when I try to position her on her tummy or back.
I was just wanting to hear anybody else's experiences with toddlers in the water? has anyone had a timid child that then gained confidence in the water? how long did it take?
Who uses floaties or one of those back float thingies?? The swimming instructor has advised against any floaty devices as they can become too dependent on it, but I was thinking maybe it would give her more confidence in the water initially??
Its just hard in the lessons trying to get her to do things when she is clawing at my neck and is permanently attached to me. Wondering when i can expect her to loosen up a bit...
DS just started swimming lessons a few weeks ago. He spent the whole first lesson crying but is getting better and better now (had 4th lesson this week). He still has times where he has a little cry but I think it takes time. If he really battles me I just stop and give him a cuddle and get him to watch the other kids doing it before trying again.
I think all kids are different and will all take a different amount of time before they are comfortable. I hope you dd starts to enjoy it soon.
We have taken DD to lessons since she was 6months old and she has gone through stages with her confidence in the water. She is definitely NOT an adventurous child and she had many episodes of not wanting to do anything except be a limpet on mummy!
I would just work with her through the stages and encourage her. I would make sure she did the things that I knew she liked and not push too hard with things she really didn't want to do that day - I would then be really excited and encouraging to the kids that did do the things though.
Now at 2.5 DD can do torpedo arms and dive off the edge of the pool and swim underwater to me! 6 months ago she would refuse to jump in so it's just a matter of persevering and letting them used to doing things at their own pace I think.
My boys started swimming lessons at 3 months, so we haven't been through this. But I have seen other kids in the classes over time go through it. It really depends on the child, but they definitely do get more confident over time. I tend to agree with the teacher about floating aids - in the short term it might help, but I think you'll find it will take her longer to gain confidence without them, so in the long term it's not worth it. GL hun. She'll get there.
Oskar was going to lessons then we stopped for a term as they changed the lesson time and it was too early in the morning for him. He has just had his 2nd lesson back and the first lesson just bawled so I took him out after about 10 mins and last week he still cried a bit at first and just hung on to dad (he does the lessons with him) and the teacher got him to take him away from the other kids which helped as well and they just played together a bit and she kept checking and was happy so long as he was in the water..lol. She said it will take him a few weeks probably but he will be ok again. I was a bit bummed out about it as he was doing quite well at swimming and going under the water and having fun before he had to miss out for the term. As for floaties, I agree with the teacher, it can make them too dependent on them and then even more frightened when it comes time to remove them.
Jack did swimming lessons from 4-7mths (pool closed for winter) I was so excited to go back when pool reopend he was just under 13mths then he hated the lessons loved the pool but would not do lessons cried and lots of things I finally worked out he didn't like the crowded pool he was very shy and reserved around the other kids, so knowing what I did from earlier lessons I scrapped going and just went to pool alone and di the things we ould have done in lesson for way less money when he is a bit older and more outgoing I will put him back in lessons
toddlers and swimming lessons
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when he is a bit older and more outgoing I will put him back in lessons
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