Has anyone else never taken them to the pool?

Shame on me! My parents made sure that my brothers and I knew how to swim at an early age. I had the toughest time learning but eventually I learned how to doggy paddle, tread water, and eventually took lessons to learn basic freestyle. I was never very good at it, though, and once I outgrew the age where I could just splash around in the pool with my friends, I never went swimming again. I also had a LOT of problems with swimmers' ear and skin reactions to the pool chemicals so it was easy to make excuses.

Adam and Ben will be four in June and they've never been to the pool. Sure they like their little wading pool and they love to splash around in the sprinkler but they have never even asked to go swimming (perhaps they don't quite understand what it is). Now, their preschool tells me they are going to move up to the four-year-old class this summer. I assumed they wouldn't move up until the fall. The four-year-old class goes to the pool once a week for lessons during the summer . Don't get me wrong, I'm ALL for them going to the pool with their class but I think they would be freaked out if their first time at the pool was with their class and not their parents. I doubt that even the school is expecting the kids to be first-timers at that age.

So now, it's up to DH and me to get them used to the pool before they start going in June. There are some indoor facilities around here so we have a few choices. Yeesh! I don't even know what to wear. What kind of swimwear is out there for extremely out of shape breast feeding (read: huge) mamas? I'll assume that there will be a few other people at the pool who are at least as out of shape as I am. If not, then I might just make a u-turn when I get there :blush:.

 

We have taken ours to the pool, but not very often. Like you, I've never been a big pool person. I hate being wet, and I don't like the smell of chlorine and the noise of the pool. We mostly only go there on really hot summer days when we can't stand to be outside. Also, I would never take both of them to the pool by myself, so it has to be on days when DH is around.

But don't worry about leaving it too late -- I didn't learn to swim till I was 7, but I'm still a reasonably decent swimmer. I agree though that it's probably a good idea to introduce them to the pool yourselves. It may also help the school if you can tell them how your boys seem to react to the experience.

As far as swimwear, try Lands End -- they have a great selection of swimsuits for real people with real bodies, not just models. Have fun!

 

Well, I am right there with ya. My kiddos are three and half and have been in a pool twice. I finally decided that they will be in swim lessons next month. I am signing them up for private lessons so it will just be the two of them. I was informed that I can be present but can not be in the water. I totally understand that. They want the kids to pay attention to the instructor, not mommy. Anyhow, I agree with the prior post. You should be the one to introduce them to the water. I think that would help to make an easier transition. I like yourself, am not in the best shape. I have always, even pre-baby, wore a shirt over my bathing suit. Pathetic huh? I bought a bathing suit from Target last year and was happy with it. Good luck!

 

Just another swimsuit tip. I got one at Old Navy online that I love. They have womens sizes online, with $5 shipping and free returns. It actually covers me, and my favorite part is that it has criss-cross adjustable straps (like bra straps) so the straps actually stay where they are supposed to and support my big momma boobs. And it was cheap!!

 

I am not sure that my children would have a freaked out reaction to their initial experience being with school vs at home. Honestly, I don't think that would even cross their mind. They do tons of firsts at school and this could just be one more.

I do wear a suit often and the ones I love the most are from Blair and are made shorts style with pockets.

 

I would find a place where they can take swimming lessons. At 4, they aren't in Mommy and Me classes, so you probably don't need to worry about it

 

Mine have been to the pool almost every day in the summer since they were born. We belong to our local private pool and I always take them. We go almost every day in the summer and my kids love it. My 9 year old DD is like a fish. The twins did pretty well last year being only 2. This year will be another learning experience for them...at that age they forget from year to year.

We have a nice baby pool that we spend a lot of time in. We went in the big pool a lot too and I had one on my back and one on my front.

This year I am thinking they may be able to touch in the shallow end. Swim lessons start at 3 at our pool..so we will do that this summer with the twins. My 9 year old did swim lessons from the time she was 3 or 4 til she was 8. She really didn't need them anymore last year.

 

I started taking all of the kids to the pool as infants. I did one of those baby swimming classes when DS was a baby, but he wouldn't kick or anything like some babies. They have changed the classes here for swim lessons and now they have to be older. I wouldn't worry just yet. My dad just threw us in the water and we all swimmed naturally, but DH can't swim. like you, I want my kids to learn, but there hasn't been a convenient way to do it since DH works and how would I do the twins and my son.

Hopefully this summer or next...

 

I'm not the smallest person, but I found the BEST swimsuit from Land's End. I actually found it and tried it on at Sears; it was the only one of the 50 I tried on that gave me confidence to go out in public. It's this one here: http://www.landsend.com/pp/FailleSwimMini~...p;origin=search

Something about the two piece seems to make me look slimmer.

 

QUOTE(ChristinaB @ Mar 22 2008, 06:08 PM) [snapback]682537[/snapback]
I'm not the smallest person, but I found the BEST swimsuit from Land's End. I actually found it and tried it on at Sears; it was the only one of the 50 I tried on that gave me confidence to go out in public. It's this one here: http://www.landsend.com/pp/FailleSwimMini~...p;origin=search

Something about the two piece seems to make me look slimmer.

Thanks! I was just looking that one over on the website. It looks comfortable, comes in nice colors, and most importantly, it has an underwire bra. Otherwise, I think each breast would need it's own swimsuit :laughing:.

 

We haven't been to the pool yet either! I knew I wasn't the only one. I have looked into getting them into classes, but wanted to wait until they were potty trained. The thought of trying to take them to the pool, get them dressed/undressed, and myself dressed, is just exhausting! I know that would be the only thing I would be able to get done that day. Then trying to maintain them in a pool by myself, I have had no desire to tackle this. We have done the baby pool in the backyard, and Mom and Dad's Jacuzzi tub, and they love it. I just haven't been brave enought to have to bare it all at the pool and deal with the effort involved. I know I have to try it this summer thought, they are fish!!!!!

 

I started Sam and David in swim lessons about 3 months ago because giving them a bath was such a problem and I just wanted them comfortable in the water. I take them here: http://www.kidsfirstswimschools.com/index.html off Rt. 1. They were too young (not yet 3 1/2) for group lessons and couldn't do Mommy and Me because there was only one me so they are doing semi-private (2 kids). The change has been incredible. They love the pool and the lessons and David is almost floating. My goal was to just get them comfortable in the water - we spent the whole first leson trying to get them to step into the pool. I know several other twin Moms in the area who use them. A new session is starting this week.

Debbi
DS - Daniel 7/12/95
DS - Andrew 8/13/97
DS - David 10/14/04
DS - Samuel 10/14/04

 

Debbi, that's awesome! Thanks for the info.

 

Mine go to red cross swim lessons at the Y and they are great! It's twice a week for 30 minutes and I don't have to go in the pool! Mine LOVE swimming. We've always taken them to the pool, so they're pretty comfortable in the water. Maybe if you joined your local Y or other indoor facility you could go as a family a few times and then enroll them in some swim lessons? The sessions at our Y are 7 weeks long. So we're in the middle of one now and then there is one more session that ends the first week of June. HTH

For great swimsuits for all shapes/sizes I would suggest Lands End!