Swimming - what age?` - Page 3

[MtBikeLover]

Thanks everyone! Sorry I haven't been back to the thread but work has had me swamped.

I am amazed at how many kids can swim at such a young age - that is fantastic. We literally have 3 months a year that we can swim June-Aug. And since there are lots of other things we want to do outside as well, I just don't see us going to the pool every single day. And in the winter, the best indoor pool around is so chlorinated that DS will not put his face in the water. I don't blame him as I won't either.

Last summer he started to learn to dive and was swimming really well underwater. I will keep working with him on that - thanks LuckyMommaToo for that tip.

He also does really well when he wears flippers. Does anyone know if that is a good idea to encourage or does that make it harder to learn to swim?

On the safety issue - nobody around here has pools so I don't think we have to worry about pool parties or swimming at friends houses. i just would like him to learn to swim so he can go to camp and stuff.

[Needle in the Hay]

Originally Posted by sunnmama

If you live in a brutally hot climate (like FL), and pools are everywhere, and your dc LOVES water, you have to weigh the risks. (although one pool dd spent a lot of time in had a salt filter).

I can definitely understand why some people take their LOs often to the pool, esp if you are in a hot climate and don't have a suitable beach nearby. I don't mean to imply that it's irresponsible or that you should avoid pools altogether (not that I feel you've taken offense or anything!), it was more in response to the advice that you really SHOULD take a young child to the pool a lot to make sure your child learns to swim as early as possible.

[umsami]

Slightly OT... but cute... DS2 (3.5) just came into my bedroom to ask if we could go to the cat pool today.

I was like...."what cat pool??"

Turns out, he wants to go to the kiddy pool. (kiddy.... kitty.... cat)

[pigpokey]

Originally Posted by MtBikeLover

He also does really well when he wears flippers. Does anyone know if that is a good idea to encourage or does that make it harder to learn to swim?

I think it's good. It's suggested equipment for my kids' swim team and I also have heard a coach at one of the best swim clubs say that her little ones work most of the time in flippers. So ... I don't know about non-swimmers but it is thought to be a good idea for kids who can swim

[mamatoablessing]

Originally Posted by Jessy1019

My daughter was 2.5 and swimming proficiently, and my son was 2 last summer and swimming well -- moving through the water, underwater, but not always able to get his head out when he needed to breathe. I expect him to swim more proficiently this summer.

It really is a matter of spending a lot of time around water. We are at the pool almost every day in the summer.

This. My girls were both about 2.5 when they were swimming proficiently, but we also spend every summer day at the pool (we're in FL so this is about a 6 month season). My younger daugher also went through ISR which helped her learn how to "save" herself if she ever fell in.

[hhurd]

Originally Posted by loraxc

I find it kind of weird how kids all seem to have to learn things younger and younger these days. I learned to swim at 6 and to ride a bike at 7, and heaven knows I am competent at both, but everyone seems to think these skills are necessary at 4 nowadays.

I couldn't agree more. Some kids just aren't ready to do these very physical things (swimming, bike rding. etc.) when they're very young.

[spughy]

I think it depends on the kid, and the level of comfort he/she has in the water. My DD was swimming independently before her 3rd birthday - we spent 2 weeks in Hawaii where she was at the beach, in the water every single day, and while she didn't swim there (grandma hovering, insisting on a floatie all the time) I took her to the pool a day or two after we got back and all of a sudden she was totally swimming.

But before that, she'd been in swimming "lessons" since she was 6 months old, and swimming with Daddy was one of her favourite things to do, so she was typically at the pool at least once a week.

Also, when she was a tiny baby, and our bathroom was too cold for her, we bathed her in "tummy tub" which is a small but deep baby tub in which she basically bobbed around like a little cork, so I think maybe she never lost contact with the floating sensation from the womb, so it was never upsetting for her in the pool or ocean. Of course, this could also be me trying to justify the tummy tub after the whole "baby gadgets" thread in parenting

Oh, I forgot to add - a friend has a DD maybe 6 mo younger than mine, she's also been in pools since a very early age, my friend is even a swimming instructor, and her DD HATES swimming. So, there you go.