Scared of Swimming--WWYD?

[scrub-jay]

I wanted to throw out there that the SwimAmerica program (google USA swimming and SwimAmerica learn to swim) follows a good solid program for swim instruction (crystal are you familiar with them?). You might have better luck pursuing swim lessons with one of these swim clubs. I had no luck with county swim lessons or YMCA programs-- they were ok, but just ok. By the time my kids were through the program they could swim an ugly 25m of free and back, but had tons of form problems that the swim team coaches needed to work out later.

Anyway I know Cora isn't looking to join a competitive swim team yet, but I think that for swim lessons a competitive team could be a resource for finding good coaches/ private instructors.

Sorry for the YMCA fans out there? I love the YMCA but I just didn't have a great experience with YMCA swim programs. Ymmv.

I would have to agree with this. My background - 13+ years of competitive swimming before becoming a certified swim instructor. Most of my knowledge that I offer came from the swim team experience, learning hydrodynamics through swim stroke clinics and a brief stint of synchronized swimming (which gave me an excellent knowledge of sculling and the subtleties of hand/arm movements to improve efficiency in each stroke). The certification I held was a "Water Safety Instructor" certification from the American Red Cross and it is fairly basic, I think you have to be able to . I have not worked with SwimAmerica, but obviously swam under USA Swimming as they govern swim meets and you have to be a member to compete (where I was). Bringing my swim team knowledge to the table made me one of the most requested instructors at all of the pools I worked. I wouldn't say "best" teacher, because I think each instructor resonates well with certain kids and THAT makes them the "best" for that kid. But I often held teaching clinics for my fellow WSI instructors who didn't have my background and especially for the instructors whose training was only from the Y. Unless that training program has changed, I wasn't super impressed with the training from the Y. But you never know what else an instructor may bring to the table...so don't discount only on certification, often it is only a card that allows them to work at a certain pool. I really like what I've read about SwimAmerica, I really like the methodology and ideology, especially this:

And the LAST thing you want is for your infant or preschooler to think that the water is a wonderful and fascinating place, WITHOUT the skill of "Roll over, float, Yell for help

Parents who were serious generally used group lessons to "try-out" the fit of various instructors before switching to privates. Privates are where you are going to see results, definitely. But don't be discouraged if you can't afford it... group does work, just much slower and it is common to see kids repeating lessons. When kids are young, I think there is a lot parents can do too. Once a kid gets to about a level 4 or so... investing in a good private instructor or swim team lessons may help much more (some teams even have the swimmers do discounted privates). Stroke refinement is something that comes with time and is not covered in a few weeks (YMCA or ARC) certification course. Things to watch out for for higher level lessons - avoid instructors who generally use their level 4+ classes to sit on the pool deck and coach from the side...(lazy). For example, when I worked with that level, I was UNDERWATER... watching where/how their bodies were positioned and offering very specific (and different individual) drills to work on various skills. (YEARS of swim team drills gave me this arsenal... lol!)

As for little kids - look for the instructors who sing songs and play games. I'm not talking a few games, I'm talking... every.task.is.a.game! Why did my students get super excited for swimming lessons with me? I never said: OK...now we're going to get our faces wet!! No, instead I said: ok, now we are going to play the cake game!! (We each made our own imaginary cakes complete with sprinkles and smashed our faces into them! Yea, I made that up...) High energy, game playing, engaging instructors are what you are looking for. Look for adaptability, are they changing their pattern to adjust for the comfort level of each kid? Are they ignoring kids who do not fit the mold or may not be comfortable? I had kids who spent the entire 10 sessions on the pool deck... and they couldn't wait to come back... lol, I kept them engaged in every game even though they were not in the water. Were we blowing bubbles? Okay, I made them pretend to blow bubbles too. (You get the point).

Choosing the right instructor is very important and don't be afraid to shop around.

[scrub-jay]

Thank you so much, everyone, and especially Crystal for writing all that out. This is really helpful.

Based on reading all this, I think I definitely need to nix the group lessons for now, and my plan for this fall will be to take her to the pool myself, probably just once a week--see if I can, following the steps Crystal's laid out, get her less fearful of the pool and hopefully into the water. And practice more in the bathtub, too. You should write a book, Crystal--you're making a lot of sense and I feel like I have a starting plan now.

She will blow bubbles in the bathtub but doesn't like to put her eyes or both ears under (one ear is fine). She doesn't object to having water poured over her head. I think she's mostly afraid of the pool itself. Sandy is onto something regarding the new pool environment being intimidating to her--it's indoors, it's probably four times the size of the old one, you can't see below the surface very well from outside looking in the windows . . . But while it's big, it's usually not very chaotic or noisy, at least not on weekday mornings when we are there.

I'm really hoping to stay at the Y for now--they don't have SwimAmerica in SC but it looks like there is another swim school that uses the facilities of a local private school. I don't think we're to that point yet.

She'll also be required by Y rules to wear a life vest in the pool area, and I suspect if I can get her in the pool in a vest she might be shocked at how different it feels to be buoyant. She might be enticed by the noodles, too--flotation devices were not allowed at the apartment complex pool.

So that's my short-term plan, though a lot of what everyone said has given me an idea of what might be in store for the next steps after that, too. Kirsty, let me know what happens with Jack, because it sounds like we are in parallel situations right now.

Thanks again, everyone. I'll be back if we get hung up on any particular step in our progress.

Good luck!!

Please keep me updated! I'll be happy to modify the plan if you need it at any stage. Just stick with super easy baby steps and prepping her ahead of time (if that sort of thing works well with her). It sounds like practicing skills in the bathtub might help a lot too, the pool is really intimidating. Just don't forget to think about what YOU do when you are in the water with her. Are you going under or is your hair dry? What are you asking her to do? It really sends a huge message to the kiddo (good or bad). Can't wait to hear how it goes!

[Vishenka69]

Completely agree with Crystal regarding games and making the whole experience fun. I've been taking group lessons with DD for almost a year and I'm so glad I started early and went to a specific child-oriented facility. Since all they do is teach children to swim, the pool is always a nice toasty 86 degrees and the entire class is about singing songs, going down the slide, swimming through a hoop, catching balls, etc. May be I go lucky with instructors but so far the group lessons have worked fine for us.

Wow so much good information, I am so glad you started this post Julie! I think I will do the same as you for a while, try and take him to the pool myself (or DH) and get him comfortable in the water again, and then try lessons somewhere else! I heard that in the off season sometimes the group classes are very small or even private for the group price.