swimming lessons

Girls started swimming lessons this past week, so they go every day for 1/2 hour for two weeks. There are 6 kids in their class with 2 teachers, the other kids are pretty confident putting head underwater, jumping in etc.. mine are not as confident. Jorja will put her head in sometimes, jessica just about puts her nose in. The teacher came to me at the end of the lesson on friday and said, "so what can I do to help Jessica?" so I said, "not really sure" she said is it ok if I dunk her under. that's what I'm not sure about.

They can swim with floats or life jackets but these lessons are without

I want her to eventually be confident in the water and I'm afraid this might make her not trust the teacher, but if she doesn't keep going under she might never get used to it.

They have never really liked the water even as babies, we did lessons with them up to 4 years old, but then they haven't been for a while as they were required to go in water without parent and they wouldn't go.

If u've got this far what do u think, let them dunk her under or not. I'm personally not that comfortable with water my DH is a fish, maybe they just take after me. Help

 

I would say yes if she knows what they are going to do & she is ready for it.

I would not let her be surprised.

 

I say no. Forcing a five year old to do something that scary to them is only going to make it worse. It took my oldest until last year (yes, 10 yrs old) before she was comfortable enough to be where she couldn't stand and put her face in the water more than once or twice. One of my twins is the same way. He's fine floating around with a noodle but he won't let go of it unless he's on the steps or hanging onto me. And that's wearing a floaty suit! So there's my more than 2 cents! lol

 

That's not swimming. If you really want them to learn to swim you need to give the instructors permission to teach them to put their face in the water. Get them goggles so they can see under the water and they might love it! Try not to let your insecurities about the water hinder them. Maybe your husband can take them to the lessons sometimes?

 

I agree with the PPer that it isn't swimming if they have a float on. But, I would never dunk a child under water--although many times I wanted to. At camp, I, as a counselor, am assigned a swim teacher to assist. Last year, I was assigned to the minnow group--all kids have to do to pass out of minnow is to put their head under the water. We had one girl who was in minnow for the second straight summer (she went 7 weeks as a 4 year old, and again last year when she was 5). It took until week 7 of last summer before we got her head under. But now, she stops me this summer, she is 6, and shows me how she is now swimming, with her face in. My point is, keep working with her, play splashing games, but don't dunk her, you may do more damgage than help.

 

I agree with the PPer that it isn't swimming if they have a float on. But, I would never dunk a child under water--although many times I wanted to. At camp, I, as a counselor, am assigned a swim teacher to assist. Last year, I was assigned to the minnow group--all kids have to do to pass out of minnow is to put their head under the water. We had one girl who was in minnow for the second straight summer (she went 7 weeks as a 4 year old, and again last year when she was 5). It took until week 7 of last summer before we got her head under. But now, she stops me this summer, she is 6, and shows me how she is now swimming, with her face in. My point is, keep working with her, play splashing games, but don't dunk her, you may do more damgage than help.

 

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. I think I will let her do it in her own time.

 

I wouldn't force it. We had a really, really bad experience with Nadia with a "survival swim" class when she was 3.5 -- long story, but it was a bad decision, and she was traumatized and wouldn't go near the water for a full YEAR afterward. (And, she's always loved the water.)

Anyhow, she tentatively got back in at age 4.5, and after a year of on-and-off traditional swim lessons since then, she's now swimming like a fish (as long as she has goggles), and dives in and swims underwater and is completely comfortable in water of any depth.

It will come in time!

 

I would not have them dunk her unless she says okay, and at that I would say have her hold the instructors hand and go under the water together. My boys are not that excited about going under water either for swimming lessons, but we got them goggles and that has seemed to help. Good luck.

 

Thanks everyone again I think I'll ask the teacher is it ok to use goggles that might help her. None of the other kids have goggles so hadn't thought about it.

 

I think 5 is too old for that technique. In IRS lessons the I stands for infant there is a reason. I think 30 months is too old to do anything like that. 5 year olds need to come to the water on their terms. They also need to know that they are not "swimming" when using a lifejacket or a float. I would also encourage her to put her face, though not whole head in first, put her face in while holding the wall or a ladder. or put her face in in very shallow water, like a wading pool where she could be sitting (a lot less scary) and bend forward to lower her face in.

I also learned to float on my back before floating on my face, that might give her the confidence she needs to be comfortable putting her face in.

 

Thanks, they have just learnt to float unassisted on their back last couple of days, and that has for sure given her confidence