Swim lessons

[ellie]

Time spent getting DD dressed and ready to go: 30 minutes
Time spent getting the baby changed, fed, and ready to go: 45 minutes
Time spent driving to swim lessons: 15 minutes
Time spent unpacking the stroller, loading everyting in, and walking to pool: 10 minutes
Time spent coaxing DD to get into the pool: 25 minutes

Time DD spent in pool: 5 minutes!!!

I think we'll stay out of the water for a while.

[MissCrabette]

Don't give up. I wish my parents had pushed me more when I was younger. Now I'm almost 24 and I can't swim.

[DCJenn]

Definitely don't give up- swimming added so much to my summer activities.

When we moved from PA to MD, I was 8 and they went door to door asking if there were any kids who might want to join a start up swim team. My mom signed us up on the spot and we swam for years every summer.

My brother and I both swam winters as well, me for one winter, him for a few more. (we were short and when you start losing all the time to a few giants, it gets depressing) I've swum with some Master's teams, too and it's great exercise.

Jenn

I agree, though, "just keep swimming, just keep swimming, lalalalala"

so, sadly, appropriate.

I do understand Dandelion. No matter what the task, it always seems like the getting out and getting there was SO much more effort than the doing. So frustrating.

But, like everyone else said, I'd encourage you to stick with it. It is one of the (few) things I follow through on, b/c the thought of my kids being over-confident near a body of water terrifies me.

[Sheherezade]

It's such a production with little kids. Now I can just yell "I'm starting the car!" and they panic, put on their shoes and bolt out the door.

I would say stick with the swimming lessons until they can swim. Water is a danger that they will encounter their whole life - and if you can swim, it becomes a pleasure. If she doesn't seem to make any progress in the lessons - due to lack of attention or lack of time actually *in* the water, see if you can spring for a few private lessons. I know a number of people that found that their kids went from not swimming to swimming in 2-3 private lessons when they hadn't picked it up with session after session of group lessons. Sometimes it is too chaotic and sometimes the kids only get a few chances for it to be their "turn" to try the skill.

You're a good mom. Just keep repeating that over and over as you juggle them out of the house each day.

We have an inground pool in our backyard and let me tell you how much of a stress reliever it is to have it. (We moved here last summer. Obviously, there are safety concerns but that's another topic.) Before we moved to this house, we'd go to a fantastic public pool for our swimming entertainment. It was a MAJOR production and it became more of a chore that I loathed than an enjoyable outing. Lugging 4 kids to a pool (even when we only had 1 kid was bad) was not fun. Now, we have the luxury of going in and out of our house for things. I can have the youngest napping while swimming with the other 3 kids. We can swim at our leisure and it is just a really fun time! When we go to the YMCA for swimming (and our Y is exceptionally nice with a 0-depth pool, slides, fountains, etc.), it's a production. Heck, just taking our 2 oldest kids for swimming lessons at the Y is a big deal and they're the only ones going swimming.

Back to topic, I tried a parent/child swim class with our then-almost-2yo DS and it was not enjoyable. Aside from the obvious getting-ready-for-swimming hoopla, I had the added stress of trying to keep our then-infant happy in her carseat at poolside and our older DDs who I made sit with the baby to entertain her. Of course, DH was never able to make it to the lesson. We lasted for 1 session and I'll never do it again. Now, DS is a lot more comfortable with the water by just swimming at the 0-depth pool at the Y and swimming at home with a floatie on. It's just a matter of getting the kids exposed to the water and making sure that they respect the water. Our youngest DD (15 mos) is comfortable with the water, almost too comfortable. I started putting a floatie on her because now that she is walking really well, she thinks she can do anything. I have a baby pool next to our big pool and she's OK sitting in there playing with toys.

[planet]

Yesterday my son, who only a week ago was not interested in going in the water, decided that he could swim. So while dh and I were still arranging our things on chairs ds walked right off of the last step in the pool and sunk. Dh jumped in and brought him to the surface, thank god. It really drove home how quickly kids can drown. The funny part is that ds did hold his breath and dh reached him in time so ds came up beaming and proud of himself for swimming. I still shudder when I think about it.

I definitely think the effort and struggles are worthwhile to teach kids to swim.

[ellie]

Thanks everyone, for the words of support and encouragement. We've been doing this little routine for the past week, so Angie, I think I'm going to take your advice and try a few private lessons. The whole scenario really is overwhelming to DD -- she is excited about swimming until she pulls open the door to the pool and freezes with all of the noise and action -- I was hoping that she would become a little more comfortable everyday, but it's not happening. She does do much better one-on-one.

Jesher wrote: But, like everyone else said, I'd encourage you to stick with it. It is one of the (few) things I follow through on, b/c the thought of my kids being over-confident near a body of water terrifies me.

Jesher, I totally agree. We've heard way too many sad stories about children and water. So swimming is one of the skills I'm determined my children will acquire. I'll have to adopt Annie's mantra:

"just keep swimming, just keep swimming, lalalalala"

I second the suggestion of private lessons. That made a huge difference to us. It just got boring or distracting in a pool full of kids to wait for a turn out of 5 kids. We did a semi-private once a week -- it only cost $1 more per week at the community center and turned my oldest daughter into a swimmer!