Swimming lessons - a false sense of security?

[Mamaduke]

I've just been thinking after reading a few threads to do with swimming, pools, baths etc and my question is...
Does taking your child/ren to swimming lessons give you & your child a false sense of security around water?
Just say you have a child who is, for whatever reason, quite wary of water.
Do you take them to swimming lessons to get them over this 'fear' and then have a child who is maybe 'too confident' around water and doesn't realise their limitations?
Or do you acknowledge their 'fear' and reinforce that yes, water can be dangerous, making sure they realise this 'fear' is real and then virtually guaranteeing that they will keep away from water/pools etc? Or risk having this 'fear' backfire on you with a total reluctance to go near water at all?

[NZMama]

With DD1 she was and has always been a water baby, which has resulted in her being over confident around water. So i enrolled her into classes to learn how to swim in order to manage this somewhat, as well as the fact that I believe it is a necessary life skill. As a result her confidence in water has made her one of the best students in her class.
But I myself grew up in and around water, was a water baby also....So Jordyn is givin the ability to swim but still needs to learn the dangers, which as her parent I am responsible for.
So to answer your question neither DP, DD or I have a fear of water but we have a heathy respect for it and will therefore ensure DD has the necessary skills and respect water should be givin. So no sense of false security here....

Does that answer your question? Sorry I had to re-read it 4 times.....

PS now its getting warmer DD2 is swimming as well and I can see the same qualities in her as was in her sister so she too will be enrolled in swimming

[Rell]

Interesting question
Both my kids have always been overconfident around water so we put them in lessons to help them know what to do in the water. Overconfidend kids and water don't mix very well. DD is 4 1/2 and swim freestyle and backstroke unaidded so now its just DS who must always be with in arms reach.

I think swimming leasons or not supervision is important.

[Funkychicken]

Our children have been swimming since they were each about 6 months old but I never looked at this as lessons as such, more a mix of water familiararity and a fun time to be had. They love the water and their swimming is now lessons but it is still about fun and enjoyment. I have never made a fuss about the dangers in front of them but they know where it is accaptable to swim and where is not. We have a dam on the property so vigilance has always been at a high level but I have never allowed them to go down there on their own and when they were little, we often discussed the eels in the dam (sure fire way to put them off going in there :laughing: ).
No matter how well they can swim now, I still never let them go swimming unsupervised.

[Niki]

my ds goes to swimming lessons at his age thou i think its more of an interaction thing, interaction with water and interaction with other babies, i know that as my son gets older and more used to the water he still will not be allowed to go swimming unsupervised! i have always had swimming lesson wen i was younger and got up to stage 13 and i dont think i was ever to confident, my mum was always around!

i think all children should be taught thou that water is dngerous but if u play safely and are under supervision it can be fun

[jessgray]

i think supervision is the most important aspect when there is any water around. my ds has a fear of getting into the bath so he doesnt do any swiming lessons. i think children can benfiet from swimming lessons. its just that adults need to remember just coz a child can swim doesnt mean they are drown proof.

[westerner]

i dont think it gives the kids a false sense of security.. but unforntunatly it gives some parents one.. jacob has been doing lessons since he was 6 months and absolutly LOVES the water.. but when we walk around the pool he has to hold my hand... and he does not get in until i tell him to.. as much as i want to familiarise him with the water we ( without being obvious ) teach him the rules related with swimming.. ie only come to the edge of the pool holding someones hand.. i hop in first and then tell him ok jacob can hop in now.. etc etc.. and the lessons for young kids arent even lessons for them to "swim" they are called water introduction.. to introduce them to the water... so parents should be aware of that and not expect them to know what to do... the fact that jacob can swim upwards from the bottom to the surface.. paddle along the water and to the edge and hold on to the edge of the pool gives me confidence that he is learning vital skills.. and maybe if god forbid something happened it might give him that extra few seconds that could save his life... but in no way does it make me more relaxed in watching him and in no way would i allow him even around a shower or bath let alone pool etc without 100% constant supervision.. but we all know that unfortunatly no matter how vigilant we are things can and do happen and it comforts me in knowing i am teaching him important skills.. but as i said does not in any way make me more confident that he is safe... as long as kids are taught the boundarys and rules that go along with water and swimming i dont think it makes them over confident.. im sure kids who have never done lessons would be even more curious to go the the waters edge and check it out/fall in etc ...

[Angelmist♥]

I've taught both DS's how to swim and although I know they can, I don't think I have a false sense of security.They do bath on their own, and if only in a wading pool I will walk away (not for long).They are both very sensible when they're around water of any form.

My SIL has had my nephew in swimming lessons for 4years now (he's 5) and only comparing him to my sons, he can't swim at all.She leaves him in their above gorund pool on his own without a second thought and it drives me nuts.

As for DD, she usually has a bath sitting in the kitchen sink while I'm cooking tea around her!!LOL kills two birds with one stone.

[Mamaduke]

Just quickly (because the boys are mounting a mutiny in the kitchen!) this thread has nothing whatsoever to do with good parenting or bad parenting - it is for me personally and my decision of whether or not to take Jesse to swimming lessons knowing that he does, at the moment, have a small fear of water...it was in no way, started to cast judgement on other people's parenting.
I was looking for honest opinions...nothing more.

[Foxy]

At this age, it is not really about swimming, just water familarisation and safety. If it provides a child with a level of comfort not to panic if they did fall in a pool, then I think it's worth it.

One of the main things we do at lessons is the kids "jump" in, turn around, and grap the wall. This is in an effort to make it their "instinct" to turn around and grab the side.

Have a look at this - http://www.kidsalive.com.au/AboutKidsAlive.htm it is Laurie Lawrence's program.

[sarah81]

My eldest DS who is 3, has a fear of water. Mostly about putting his head under rather than a complete fear.

He has been having swimming lessons for most of this year. It has not made him overconfident. I am encouraging to do lessons because I think it is a vital skill to know how to swim and I don't want him to get older and still not know how to swim. He has the type of personality that if I let learning to swim go the fear of putting his head under would continue to get worse. He can be a very serious thinker about things!

I don't think that learning swimming and water survival skills could backfire really if you are constantly reinforcing safety and rules around water.

Because of DS1 fear I have started DS2 who is 16months in lesson already. He is happy to put his head under now but they are also teaching ways to get out of the pool and reaching for the edge etc in his class.

Good luck with your decision about the lessons :D

[Rell]

To add to my other post I think swimming leasons can only benifit kids.
Most lessons also include water safety: how to enter water safely, floating, treading water, how to get to the nearest edge etc.. My DD teacher even covered what to do if your brother/sister falls in a pool. Of cause all the kids thought they should swim and get them out but they were taught to throw someing that floate to them then get some help from an adult.

MD if you child has a fear of water he would be more likely to panic if he did end up in water unatended. Leasons will teach him what to do if that happens