Teaching our children to save themselves

[sydneybubhub]

When I was a kid, structured formal swimming lessons were part of the school curriculum and didn't start until around Grade 5 (showing my age there, aren't I!).

These days, many schools with available local facilities, kick this important life lesson off as early as Grade 1, with most of the children already very adept in the water.

When did you start your little Thorpey or Dawn on his/her road to water safety and awareness?

What were your reasons for starting when you did? And would you have done anything differently?

[Nellsy]

We didn't take our DD to swimming lessons until she was about nearly 4 years old. Partly, because we were always busy and I wanted DP to have a nice activity with her on the weekend and that just didn't seem to happen because of .... life!

I had also read somewhere ages ago that some people believe it is better to not start swimming until all immunisations are up to date (ie minimum of 18 mths). So, I sort of took that on board.

I probably didn't mean to leave it so late to start the classes. Some kids in her class were better, but I liked that fact that she was also that bit older and more aware of what she was learning.

For DS (2.5 years) we will probably start him in Spring this year.

[MummaBear03]

I started taking mine to water (not necessarily a pool but we used to go to creeks and rivers and so on) when she was just 6 weeks old. By 12 months she could be thrown in and get herself back to the side then grip to the side and when she was 2 she fell in the pool and had got herself to the side and out of the water in the time it took for me to get to her as I was on the other side of the pool, although I did know she fell in it just took that long to get to her and my mum was on crutches so couldn't get to her even though she was beside her. We spend a lot of time around water though so now at 4 she can swim 50 metres without a hassle. If we weren't around water then it probably wouldn't matter as much. Although she's been a little water baby from birth so probably would have been near water whether we were a swimming family or not.

[SalTheGal]

We started DS at 8mnths, he is now 18mnths and is a little water babe, I love it, and so does he!

[Jinglebells]

My DS is just about 4 and I havnt' gotten him into classes yet, mostly because i've never been able to get him to classes, i've just got myself a car so will now beable to, but I might wait untill spring when the weather is warmer, unless I find a indoor pool somewhere

[Rainbowbrite]

We live on the coast, 5 minutes from the beach (not that we go lol) but being as they are so close & friends & family have pools, we started MJ at 18months. Anakin will start around 12 months. They will not stop going until they can swim with no flotation what so ever. MJ is now on 1-2 back bubbles only,....12 months ago she had 4 on her back plus arm bands.

This is one thing that I will NEVER muck around with. Water is so dangerous.

[forbetoel]

From 6 months mine all started, but obviously at that age, it is more about fun and having a relaxed time together, than it is about survival skills. I think somewhere from around the age of 3, they start to actually learn real life saving techniques, such as how to get to the side of the pool quickly.

[MummaBear03]

We live on the coast, 5 minutes from the beach (not that we go lol) but being as they are so close & friends & family have pools, we started MJ at 18months. Anakin will start around 12 months. They will not stop going until they can swim with no flotation what so ever. MJ is now on 1-2 back bubbles only,....12 months ago she had 4 on her back plus arm bands.

This is one thing that I will NEVER muck around with. Water is so dangerous.
I've never used any flotation device :o but then she's never been in the water without an adult right with her. Did it affect swimming lessons or strokes at all? That's what I was worried about, what happens when she learns to swim with them then doesn't have them and would have to relearn? So does it make it harder to learn how to swim or does it not make a difference?

[RHJ]

Ryan (DS1) started lessons at the start of the year at 3.5 years old. He goes every week of the term, and is doing so well! i am so proud of how quickly he has taken to the water. His swim school only start teaching them to swim at 3 years. Before that is safely awareness, and skills such as blowing bubbles and getting used to going under water etc. I haven't put Hayden (DS2 18m) into classes, as i can teach him those things myself (and at $16.50 a week, i would MUCH prefer to save the money!) So we swim and play together while Ryan has his lesson. Hayden adores the water too, and is very happy going under it, blowing and tries to kick his feet.

[Rainbowbrite]

I've never used any flotation device :o but then she's never been in the water without an adult right with her. Did it affect swimming lessons or strokes at all? That's what I was worried about, what happens when she learns to swim with them then doesn't have them and would have to relearn? So does it make it harder to learn how to swim or does it not make a difference?

No it doesn't make it harder. They are there so she develops confidence & as she gets better, they are reduced. She is learning strokes now along with floating & how to use kick boards etc. They have also had her jump in the pool without any flotation & she was able to jump in, get to the surface, grab the side & climb out.

So no, it doesn't make it harder, they are there as security so to speak.

[MummyMandy]

My 8 month old daughter and I have started swimming lessons just recently, and love them. It teaches her confidence in the water and its great bonding time for the two of us. I often worry about not spending enough "quality time" with my daughter ie am I doing enough, and swimming lessons allows me to relax and let someone else guide me. I recommend it to anyone

[sockstealingpoltergeist]

My son is 2 and he hasn't learnt. I am really worried about him drowning.:(
The only reason he has not started was because when he was 6 mths we rang about lessons and they were all booked out on the days we could go.
So we put our name down and then my son got very sick, with almost constant chronic ear infections and had a problem with his eye as well.
Now he is a better has had surgery and I would like to start him, he has grommits though, so I have to get him an ear wrap, and some better ear plugs , have been trying different ear plugs and they all seem to fall out. Does any one know of some really good ones we could try???? Thanks (sorry for going Off topic).

[Hokey Pokey]

My girls get taught at school starting in first grade, so about, 6 years old.

[A Party of Five]

We did start taking the two eldest ones when they where six months, but it's a hard to take all five of them now :(

[zenifa]

DD1 started at 5mths and DD2 started at 7mths. For us it was an important skill for our girls to learn and the lesson was a fun activity for DH to do with them (as I did mum's grp/playgrp, library storytime etc) on a weekly basis. It also helped that both our girls were water babies and loved it, so although on a tight budget we thought it would be important to do this, not just to save their lives, but to keep them active too.
DD1 has been doing lessons for over 2yrs now and is quite confident in the water and can swim at least 5m unassisted. However I would still never leave her in the water unattended, its just good that she isn't fearful and is still learning to swim and develop her strength in the water.
We don't have a pool otherwise I would of done a lot of this myself at home with the kids.

[Lil X-men]

I started both my boys at 6months old and my now 3y old is a very competent swimmer probably more competent than me:o Today at his lesson they were told to jump in, in turns.He did a false start when it wasnt his turn and proceeded to swim to the side of the pool and pull himself out. I have never been so proud of my son as I was then, and realised the lessons are $well spent as he has learned the vital importance of being able to save himself.
MY 10month old is loving lessons and gains so much more confidence with every lesson he attends.
THey are so important imo, especially as we have pool at home, I feel secure in knowing my boys know pool safety and can save themselves if necessary.

[chefalicious]

my daughter started swimmin lessons when she was about 14months it would of been at 8 months but the local swim schools never got back to us. luckily for us a family member works with a lady whose friend runs a swim school about 15 mins from where i live.....

but on that note she would of been going to lessons from 3 months of age but due to discovering she had hip dysplasia and had to be in a spica cast for 3 months. we could not enrol her:(

and for me we started swim lessons in grade 1..... but that was once a month with the P.E. teacher..... i didnt learn how to tread water till i was 12..... my bestie taught me.....

[subaruforestermum]

DS started I dont know exactly when...BUT he has never been taught with a floatation device, and I wont allow him to be taught with one, as it is not a realistic situation...

He had to learn from the get go..

We have no water out here near us, there are peoples dams, and the huge dams (somerset, etc) but I have continued to take DS to swimming lessons 2 days a week, and he goes for a full week suring school holidays....

And he will keep going for as long as he wants to...

He is an awesome little swimmer, and has just moved up to the next level....already...SOOOO proud....

People have told me to not take him or cut it down, as we are experiencing financial difficulties, but I personally feel it is a neccessity...

At his lessons he is also taught about beach safety, colour of the flags, how to save someone, how to tread water etc......all without floatation devices....:thumbsup:

[niccolett26]

my daughter just starte swim lessons. she is 6 months. i started her as soon as i could. she went to the pool for the 1st time at 3 months. she loves the water.

[Mischief]

Oliver started swimming classes at about 5 and a half months, but once that class was over none of us (mothers group) re started.

I was going to take him to classes over winter, but he just broke his arm so that is out for now. So he will probably be well past 3 before we go again with the baby on the way. :(

[DaniiLawson]

I think the sooner the better! I think within the first year you should get them in the pool with you. :+) Once you get them in the pool its hard to keep them out if you own a pool. I think parents should also be familar with safety and resuscitation techniques as part of the childs learning. I had no idea until I completed my first aid cert for work.

Danii

[ronniewilliams]

My daughter go to the pool when she was 3 years old and I think its a better age for class.

[One of THOSE mums!]

Ds started at 6 months.
I think the earlier the better. They don't learn to 'swim' at that age, but they get familiar with the water. Makes it much easier when they actually start to learn swimming technique.
At 16 mo Ds can jump into the pool, turn around and swim to the edge. Hold the edge and pull him self out.
I didn't start the lessons so he could swim. But so if in the odd chance he fell in a pool he could save himself!

[SilentSapphire]

I love swimming lessons.. so does my son :)

[share a book]

Under 6 months, she could save herself at 1 year old.

[MissSteph]

We started dd in lessons when she was 9 months. She adores it and I think it has been extremely beneficial, although rather expensive.
We wanted to start DS in lessons at the same age but we are struggling to find ways to comfortably afford having them both in. It's 2k a year for 2 kids - $165 a month.

I think it should be made more affordable because it is important to have those skills at an early age.

[share a book]

We started dd in lessons when she was 9 months. She adores it and I think it has been extremely beneficial, although rather expensive.
We wanted to start DS in lessons at the same age but we are struggling to find ways to comfortably afford having them both in. It's 2k a year for 2 kids - $165 a month.

I think it should be made more affordable because it is important to have those skills at an early age.

$47 per lesson for private lessons with a SN kid and that's just for 1 child, so rougly $470 a term, give or take.

[Mysurprisebaby]

I started DS at 5 months. Both his grandparents have pools, as well as several friends so I thought of it as a safety issue. Plus, I wanted to start him young before he was afraid of the water (a stage I know a lot of kids go through).

I want to add that I am under no illusions that he is now safe in the water. I just hope that the lessons he has had may give him an extra 10 seconds if the worst should happen, which may just be long enough to give me a chance to save him. :fingerscrossed:

[confusd]

DD has been doing then since about 7 months.
We decided to do it because she loved the bath :laughing: and also my sister is a swimming teacher and said its best to start getting them used to water young.

Her fisrt lessons were at a laurie laurence school, it was like $100 a term! it was so cheap! Then they got brought out by someone else who charged about $20 a lesson :( I hate how expensive lesson are. They should be cheaper so everyone can afford them.

Now where we live i pay about $15 a lesson. She can swim the length of a 25metre pool ( usually in an attempt to stop me making her get out :rolleyes: but mummy can swim faster :p:laughing: )

[trishalishous]

we decided not to bother until DD was in primary school.
we go swimming at least once a week (4-5times a week in summer) and shes pretty confident in the water.

[motheroffour]

both of my older kids were swimming with confidence by 2 ( able to swim from one side of the pool to the other) they were lucky, we always had a pool available but with my 2 younger ones dd3 is almost 4 and dd4 is nearly 2 but neither can swim or even has confidence with water. I find it really disapointing as swimming was always very important to me and their dad is a surfer.

[davally]

DS started at 5 months doing regular lessons and in the past 12 months has gone from strength to strength in what he can do in the water. He loves his lessons and gets the biggest smile when we arrive at swimming.

The decision for us to start him so young was quite easy, we never really questioned it. DS' godfather is a professional swim coach, my grandparents used to teach swimming and I grew up around water (pools, beach and dams) and I wanted to give that love of water to DS, which he seems to have.


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[MrsBeee]

I answered the wrong one, I put 7-18 months, but she was actually right on 6 months. Like a PP we started taking her because she loved the bath so much. Obviously it's more about water awareness at this age than real 'swimming' but she's now 15 months (so has been to lessons for 3 terms as they're only run during school term here) and she can turn back to the side if she falls in and grab the ledge and tries to pull herself out. She'll paddle her arms and legs if you hold her around her waist in the water and will grab onto a floating mat/noodle etc and hold on. She also knows not to jump in until we say 'Olivia, ready, GO' though I don't know that she wouldn't jump in if she was on her own.
All in all I think it's been worth it for what she has learnt, and of course for the fun we've had, and it's only $12 a lesson (once per week) which I think is money well spent. We're not going this coming term as we may be moving town, but once we're settled again I'll re-enrol her.

[brogeybear]

Sorry to be a terribly derailer, but I just had to laugh when I saw this thread. I thought it meant "save themselves" as in virginity. ROFL

Now, back to the regular programming!

[MrsBeee]

Sorry to be a terribly derailer, but I just had to laugh when I saw this thread. I thought it meant "save themselves" as in virginity. ROFL

Now, back to the regular programming!
Actually, I thought exactly the same thing :o:laughing: Mind must be in the gutter, lol :)

[scarymarygoldfish]

Sorry to be a terribly derailer, but I just had to laugh when I saw this thread. I thought it meant "save themselves" as in virginity. ROFL

Now, back to the regular programming!


:laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing:

[eviezmum]

My husband is a surfer and had brought a wetsuit for DD before she was even born! Starting her in swimming lessons as early as possible was never questioned. When I was 7 months pregnant we found a swim school that took babies from 4 months. We enrolled DD and she has been doing lessons 1-2 times a week for 5 months now. Looking at the older children in the other classes I am glad that we started her so early. The other ones are scared of the water, or the teacher, or going under water, or not having someone there to hold on to and it becomes something horrible and traumatic for them. There are a few who have to be dragged into the water by mum and then spend the whole time screaming. My DD does not remember or know any different and she loves it. By the time she is big enough to actually start swimming on her own it should be something that is super fun for her and not scary. And I haven't even gone into the safety aspect of the swimming lessons!!! Definitely will enroll any other children that come along as early as possible.

[dadad]

I've had DD in the water teaching her water confidence and basic beginner skills from around 15 months old. She's almost 2 now. I wish I'd started earlier but she's pretty good now. She was never keen on the water from birth but now (after a lot of hard work) she loves it. At the current rate in 6 months I'll be able to throw her in and she could make her way to the edge and get out. Been taking her 2-3 times per week. Great bonding and instruction schooling too.

[lil miss]

neither of my kids have beentaught to swim (at least not lessons). The have been swimming but only when me and DH have held them.

[miracle4me]

I am a teacher & have to take preschool students aged 4.5 whose parents pay for learn to swim classes to swimming lessons at a nearby pool. Once I even taught at a school that had a pool and was often asked by the PE teacher to help teach some of the kids swimming skills.
I first took DD at 14mths purely to see what they did at a learn to swim class, being the fact that I wanted to see how or what it was that they taught babies. I found that it was more for enjoyment of water, a few skills like monkey walking, kicking swimming after toys & falling in and swimming to the side. I don't know how much my DD learnt in a term & even though I could afford $16.50 per lesson for one term I couldn't continue - it was quite expensive and since I don't have a pool I thought I could teach her swimming myself so I've saved the money or rather spent the money sending her to PCYC Kindagym. I think maybe at age 3 you can safely say kids can execute a lifesaving stroke. But in saying that my motto is "that if we are ever near water I will always have her within my reach & both my eyes on her. Safe practices like shutting swimming pool gates and supervise kids even if they can swim is probably the safest way to prevent drowning, accidents happen; kids slip you can hit your head fall into a pool & drown even if you can swim. :wave:

[JJJRain-crew]

:D LMAO I thought this was a thread about telling kids to "Save themselves for marriage" or something and I just had to look... bahaha.
Anywho, I started at 6 months and she was fine untill she turned one and started to develop a severe phobia of water. We move ALOT between her being 18ms and 4 years old a and I never seem to have a heated pool near me and it has been a cold last few years so I haven't able to take her much. So she can't swim and is terrified of the water. I am going to start taking her to the nearest heated pool every few days, its a 40-50 minute drive, I am going to get a pool pass and teach her myself because there is no way in hell she would hop in without me with all the other kids her age.

[SpaghettiMonster]

DS started swimming lessons at 6months old (now 15months). Would have started him earlier but I didnt know that you could start them at 4months.

They place we go to teaches kids to swim without the aid of Floaties and teaches them to be able to find something to hold on to if they fall in. DS knows to look for mum's shirt if we are in the middle of the pool and he can climb up the small side onto the ledge by himself even if he goes under the water first.

It was very important to us for DS to learn to swim quickly because neither DP or I are big swimmers. I can stay above the water and get from one aide of a pool to the other just not very well.

DS is such a water baby and loves swimming and bath time. He even loves small puddles in the yard :)