How did you teach your LO to swim?

[Lissybits]

Thanks Aisling

I think I will try armbands again. If he'll put them on, he'll realise how much more freedom he'll have, cos atm, I have to hold him under his tummy all the time as he won't stay in the shallow water
He is so ready to try swimming on his own

Love the piccies of Nello

I'll let you know how it goes

Thanks again

[Katet]

Ds2 (3 & 1mo) now swims 3-4metres with no assistance, mostly dog paddle (ds1 almost 5, is now learning 'style' he can swim about 10metres) , they started out much the same as you are doing with the teacher sort of passing him to me & he kicked etc, we sang songs to show what to do when they were younger & now in classes (I don't get in) the teacher does a whole range of things from getting them to kick using a kickboard to diving for a ring at the bottom of the pool (4.5 ft deep) & told them to dig with their arms (for dog paddle) now they are learning proper strokes so it is more about showing than verbal commands.
Here in Aus AusSwim (the main recognised teaching body) recommend the use of a bubble (back float as suggested by someone else) rather than arm bands as it gives their arms the full flexibility & if the float is tied low on their back it doesn't make them stay upright (like a life jacket can... they actually are strongly discouraged as a swim teaching advice around here too as they keep you vertical) , but the bubble helps keep them in the more "swimming" position, our teacher also used it to help hold them to get their faces in the water more ... they start at 3 thick & then move to 1... don't have a picture to show, but I could never see either of my boys in arm bands, but they both willingly wore the back one until they no longer needed it...or in the case of my youngest told the teacher he was a big boy & didn't need it & proved it too

I think in the case of water confidence it is about exposure & practice & for my eldest he was "older" than his brother when he felt able to go out deeper than he could stand but once he realised he could go X distance he could gradually build on it... when we swim for fun we do lot of jumping in & then pushing them to the side & gradually built on that distance... now they jump, & swim to the side - no assistance, but it takes time & we have had backwards slides with both, but now I feel safe to let them swim with me at the edge rather than with them

[fiona1274]

Both my older girls are in swim lessons (3years and 3 months and 23 months) older one can swim a few meters but we have gone since she was little. I bought a DVD call swimbabies and it showed you how to teach water safety and I did the programme with her. She could float on her back at about 3 months without help. We did loose this ability as I got pregnant and lazy and didn't go as much. DD2 is crazy confident in the water.
At swim lessons we use a woggle (noodle I think) it leaves there arms free for starting storkes, but teachers says they can't really achieve mush till preschool age. Although I did see a 2 and half year old swimming 100m on Tv the other day!!!!!!!
I did teach and coach swimming for years although my classes were for 5 yrs and over so in new territory with toddlers. I use arm bands if I am in by my self with them but I deflate them all the time, letting them do a little more for themselves each time we go.
Have fun.

[aisling]

I agree with Kate Aidliz.  Your DS will gain confidence in deep water as time goes on.. of course he feels more secure with you vs the instructor that is normal, you are his hero IYKWIM? 

Yes it was me that mentioned the bubble as well.  The thing about arm bands, once they are around N's age, you can switch them over to the much less cumbersome very small single air chamber version.  He has total freedom and can get his arms moving no probs and is now having to work a lot harder to keep up his tumm.

Lis, shop around for arm bands and buy the really good ones as they are more comfortable and less inclined to bug these spirited LO's as they don't pinch as much. We also call them muscles and he thinks he is superman with them on! LOL!

Here is a link of good ones, I like Speedo and Zoggs.

http://www.gb-sports.co.uk/childrens_swimming_aids.html#Bema_Armbands


Hmmmm...just found these..interesting...... http://www.swimstop.co.uk/delphins.html

[aidliz]

Thanks, he does do get more confident each time we go swimming.  Today he actually did "swim" a bit and is trying.  He stopped using his swimmies the last few times we went swimming so I will try and get him to wear them again to build his confidence and get him to swim with them on.  Mabe by the end of the summer he will venture into the deep end with me.  I hope.  But if not, theres always next summer.

Hero...oooh, brings tears to my eyes.  Nice way to put it.  Thanks. 

[Lissybits]

Well, Nicholas's armbands arrived yesterday (thanks for the links Aisling ) and he surprised me yet again by wanting to wear them at home, all day

So, we went to the beach and he thought it was really funny that we could go in the deep water and he didn't need to hold onto me   He laughed the whole time I suppose he felt independant and surprised at himself - the monkey

We'll carry on going swimming every day and see how we progress

Thanks again for all your advice!

Lis and Nicholas
 

[aisling]

FAB!

A x

[Mom to M&M]

Can I jump in? DD (three next month) loves the pool and happily goes in at camp with the teacher and some other kids and at our beach club with me. But she is scared to get her head under or to let go of me (even with arm bands she wants me to hold her, although I think she is OK at camp). DH gets concerned because he's always been TERRiFIED (to this day) of getting water over his head or even close to it. Any advice to raise her confidence and eliminate this fear for her? We really want her to be able to enjoy the pool and eventually beach/ocean without fears. Just keep working on it? Get a swim lesson? They are pretty reasonable at my beach club for a half hour private one...

[aisling]

Hi Karen,

How is she is in the shower and bath when her her hair is washed etc...?

Ais x

[Mom to M&M]

Not great - she gets upset when water gets in her eyes. Doesn't scream but wants to get it right out.

[aisling]

I figured that.  My niece was the same. I think they panic if they can't see after they have been under or their face in the water. They feel out of control if they can't see what is going on. They don't have fears like we adults do and know all about how deep water is very scary, because if that were the case, at this age they would go under in the shallow end where they can touch no probs or in the bath, but this is not the case. I had my sister keep a sand bucket filled with dry wash cloths near the bath.  Then I had her encourage to play around and wet my niece's face etc...have her blow bubbles with her face right in the bath and say to her to dry her eyes off with one of the cloths in the bucket when she felt she needed her eyes clear. Then when she came swimming at our pool, we kept the bucket near by the edge and she woudl swim and if she attempted to go under or we encouraged it when she jumped etc..she could swim to the bucket and dry her eyes off.  She eventually stopped going for the cloths and realised that her eyes woudl dry on their own and got more comfortable with the whole thing. However, I tired all this with friend's 3 year old and he didn't even like the cloth to help him out, he panicked still.  Eventually he took lessons and they encouraged he use swim goggles.  BINGO! Worked fab!

A x

[Katet]

Karen have you tried goggles, my boys wear them for swimming & when they wash their hair, ds1 spends all his time with his face in the water with goggles & none without... hopefully peer pressure will mean he learns to play without them in time, but for now it works

[Mom to M&M]

Thanks Aisling and Kate. Was thinking about goggles while out walking earlier today and that might really do the trick. Will look for a cheap pair tomorrow - any suggestions for where?

[aisling]

I would get fairly decent ones from Speedo at Walmart etc....

A x

[aidliz]

Ds is doing much much better now with the swimmies. He floats and swims with them on.  The other day he even swam a tiny bit without them on.  He will not go in the deep end yet, but baby steps is what is going to work with us.

Karen, Aidan was the same way in the bath tub and in the pool with getting his face wet.  I started having him "go under" up to his chin, then his nose, then his eyes.  He still wont just go under completely, but he is less afraid after we practiced for a while.  I would say, can you do this and bend down and put my chin under, then can you do this, go under to my nose, etc.. It worked well for us.  Now if I am sitting at side of the pool I will point to my nose or eyes and he goes under.  He refuses to wear goggles, even after seeing all his friends use them.