Swimming lessons: Do we keep trying?

Jackson, who's 8, is not very physically coordinated, except in his ability to throw and hit a baseball. Other than that, he unfortunately inherited his parents' physical agility.

We started Jackson with swimming lessons at age 5, and since then he has taken lessons periodically at the public pool and through two private swimming schools. Usually it amounts to maybe 8-10 lessons in a session, and we put him in one session, sometimes two in a row.

The problem is, he just doesn't seem to be getting it. He loves being in the pool, but he really struggles with even the basics of floating or kicking. I don't know if it's because he's so long and lanky and growing so quickly that he just can't control his body right or what, but it's pretty bad.

I'm not looking to turn him into an Olympic champion. I just want him to be able to go into deep water without drowning and be able to do at least a front crawl. This past summer, when the other kids in the class were treading water, he was sinking like a stone. I thought by this age, we'd be making some progress.

Do I continue to do lessons for a few weeks in the summer and hope he grows into his body and gains control? Or do I enroll him in the private swimming school now and keep the lessons going indefinitely until he masters as least the basics to keep himself afloat? I see kids a lot younger than him who've figured it out, and I'd hate for him to be embarrassed as he gets older. But the private school is pricey and inconvenient, and last time he was in there, two sessions with a 1:5 teacher ratio hadn't helped him improve at all.

 

Jackson, who's 8, is not very physically coordinated, except in his ability to throw and hit a baseball. Other than that, he unfortunately inherited his parents' physical agility.

We started Jackson with swimming lessons at age 5, and since then he has taken lessons periodically at the public pool and through two private swimming schools. Usually it amounts to maybe 8-10 lessons in a session, and we put him in one session, sometimes two in a row.

The problem is, he just doesn't seem to be getting it. He loves being in the pool, but he really struggles with even the basics of floating or kicking. I don't know if it's because he's so long and lanky and growing so quickly that he just can't control his body right or what, but it's pretty bad.

I'm not looking to turn him into an Olympic champion. I just want him to be able to go into deep water without drowning and be able to do at least a front crawl. This past summer, when the other kids in the class were treading water, he was sinking like a stone. I thought by this age, we'd be making some progress.

Do I continue to do lessons for a few weeks in the summer and hope he grows into his body and gains control? Or do I enroll him in the private swimming school now and keep the lessons going indefinitely until he masters as least the basics to keep himself afloat? I see kids a lot younger than him who've figured it out, and I'd hate for him to be embarrassed as he gets older. But the private school is pricey and inconvenient, and last time he was in there, two sessions with a 1:5 teacher ratio hadn't helped him improve at all.

 

Yes, Amy, I would continue his lessons. I am one whose mom never taught her to swim. I learned as a young adult (after I was married) but I'm just not as comfortable in the water as others. I think it is extremely important that ALL children learn to swim.

Sean was about 8 before it all connected with him. But once he 'got it' he took off like a fish, literally. B&C were almost 4 when they learned to swim. They are natural born 'fish' and now all my boys love to swim. Each child is different. Jackson just may need a little more time, like Sean did. But I'd definitely continue.

Oops, forgot to address your question about continuing private lessons. Honestly, I don't think I would. If it's not helping him that much, I'd wait until summer and try again at the pool. More than anything with Sean, my persistence in his attendance at lessons coupled with my daily working with him, finally got it to click. My FIL still marvels at the summer he finally became a swimmer. I worked with him daily in their pool while there and his swimming improved by leaps and bounds. It's a confidence thing too. Speak with the swimming instructors at your pool for more tips on how to biuld his swimming skills. He'll get it eventually.

 

Oh, and I'd also like to add that the embarrassment he'll suffer at not being able to swim as he gets older will surpass any embarrassment he may have at being an 'older' swimming student. I'd persevere with him, Amy.

I also had another thought. At our community pool, I know some of the instructors will do one-on-one private lessons for students who need the extra help. You might ask about the possibility of this for Jackson also.

 

I agree I would continue lessons. It is going to be embarassing to him as he gets older to no tknow how to swim when all his friends & brother do. This is assuming he wants to learn. He may think he can't do it and just not care or be trying. I don't know if he or you would consider using arm floaties in the shallow end. Not for a life preserver but to help him. You have to use your swim motions when using these. They don't just hold you up as well as a float.

 

Amy,

I agree that I would continue lessons. Marc and Jon have been taking lessons at a place that uses the Red Cross method--different than the Y-method. Floatation is at a minimum, but they don't let you out of the shallow water until you can swim across the pool--Jon is about to move into the class that does the deep end. But the early skills are floats and glides, and swimming on top of the water. Treading water isn't even introduced until they can swim comfortably--which means a crawl stroke without breathing skills.

I don't know if you have tried a place with this method, but it is really sucessful! Actually, it is the same one that they use at the camp we went to last summer.

Good luck!

 

I definitely want to continue lessons. I absolutely want him to be able to swim.

I guess my question is, do I just wait until summer, and let him take one class each summer, or should I get him into an open-ended private program, where he can just take session after session, starting now if he wants to, until he gets it? In that program, he learns little by little and advances at his own pace. It's just he wasn't advancing much when he was there, and it's inconvenient and very expensive.

We've tried programs through the public pool, the private swim club, and our local four-year college. None of them have been successful. He's worked on glides and floats and kicks and arm strokes, and while he's managed to muster through, he's really not clicking with any of it. His feet still sink to the bottom of the pool when he tries to float, and his kicks generate enough splashing to look like a shark attack! Poor kid!

I just keep wondering if he's at an age now where he really needs to learn this soon, and we should just keep pushing it until he gets it. Or do we lay off, just try lessons each summer, and hope he miraculously gets it one of these years?

Kim, I love the idea of working with him often in the pool. While I did take him to the public pool a few times this summer and we've swam in some hotel pools recently, it's not enough time to really work with him on things, and I don't have access to a backyard pool. And it's hard for me to relate to his struggles, because I took to the water naturally when I was a kid, so I don't know how to help him. I am horrendous at trying to teach physical skills!

 

I wouldn't do the lesson right now. If you want to go to the private lessons start in March and give him a couple of months before public swimming starts. Hopefully by then he will have more control over his body. Floating will not be easy if he is long and lean. If he has very low body fat he doesn't have a natural boyency. He will have to learn to relax all his muscles to keep from sinking. I couldn't really float until I was in college (I am not a good swimmer and I also took several swim sessions). Now with all the extra padding I can float with the best of them.

 

I would keep with the swimming lessons, my boys took quite a while, they started swimming lessons at 2 and didnt't learn to swim properly till they were 6, but now they are like ducks to water, they love it, every saturday morning they compete in nippers where they have to swim in big surf on their own, and have no problems doing so.. So stick with it even if it takes a while.

 

quote:
Do I continue to do lessons for a few weeks in the summer and hope he grows into his body and gains control? Or do I enroll him in the private swimming school now and keep the lessons going indefinitely until he masters as least the basics to keep himself afloat? I see kids a lot younger than him who've figured it out, and I'd hate for him to be embarrassed as he gets older. But the private school is pricey and inconvenient, and last time he was in there, two sessions with a 1:5 teacher ratio hadn't helped him improve at all.


Amy, My kids are younger than 8, but they've been taking swimming lessons at the YMCA since they were 3. At first they just took 1 session each summer, but never learned to swim independently for more than a couple of feet. Now they are taking year-round swimming lessons every Saturday, and I take them to the pool twice a week in addition to that to work on it. I was on a swim team when I was their age, so it's important for me that they learn this life-saving skill, and that is exactly how I view swimming (a life-saving skill). But to answer 2 of your questions....Yes, I would keep him in lessons and Yes, I think he is at the age where it's important he learn; however, I wouldn't do anything or say anything that would make him feel insecure about not catching on as quickly as others. If you view swimming as a life-saving skill versus "just another sport/activity" it might make you feel better about keeping him in it.

Good Luck. Once day he'll just take off and swim like a fish....in his time.

 

Yes, Amy, I agree with the others: keep at the lessons. At least he likes the water and keeps on trying. It sounds like he just needs to mature in his body mechanics.

My older two never took lessons, just learned on their own one summer. They must have been about 5 and 7, I'm guessing. They have always been lean, no fat even now and have no trouble floating. The twins have had summer lessons for 4 years and got the hang of it their second year (age 5). Now, me....I never did learn, had one summer session at age 6 and failed miserably. I cannot float at all or do a simple free style.

Good luck to Jackson!

 

Yes, keep trying. My fraternal twin boys, 9 are as opposite as day and night. Kody swims like a fish while Kurtis can swim but is scared of the water. Kurtis will not even let go of the side of the pool, but after much patience and attention he can swim. And if he had to he can. This eases my mind since as they get older and more independent if Kurtis ever fell in a pool or any other water source I know he can swim. Don't give up. Swimming can be a lifesaver.

 

Yes, I would say keep trying. Be patient, but keep trying. My sister has some friends who have kids who are about that age if not a little older. They parents are both non-swimmers (don't know if they are afraid or what) and they have not taught their kids to swim. I fear for the kids when and if they really need to know how to swim..

 

I think a big help in learning to swim is having a neighborhood pool where dozens of friends are swimming...sadly, not a commonplace option these days. But I do think that Jackson would advance more quickly with that sort of incentive to egg him on. Perhaps when Brady and Hayden are a little older, the three of them will play games together at the pool which will enhance swimming skills.

Meanwhile, I agree with everyone else...keep up the lessons. Although I, personally, would not pay extra for private lessons with a 1:5 ratio. I found that was no better than a larger class for my kids. The one thing that DID make a difference to lessons was the year we had 1:1 private lessons at our neighborhood pool in CIncinnati. Our three older kids learned superb swimming strokes and strength and these skills were then strengthened by play with neighbor friends in the pool afterward. To this day, these 3 kids swim superbly (Jessie was nearly begged to join a city swim team in St John's when her bronze instructor saw her excellent stroke and kick).

Teddy and Kenny were babies when the older kids had those lessons so they missed out. We've given them group and small group (semi-private lessons with 1:3 ratio) and I have to tell you that they simply do not have the swimming skills that their older siblings have...it is like night and day. The 1:3 lessons were no better than the 1:12 or more lessons, IMO. That one summer of private lessons (one on one) was what made the difference, I believe. IN fact, a friend of ours visited with her children that summer and we made a gift of several lessons from our own kids' paid set to the friend's kids (who could not swim yet and had never had lessons)...her three knew how to swim (and quite well!) in just one week! Again, I am convinced it was the combination of the 1:1 lessons AND the gang of friends playing together in the neighbourhood pool. Lessons plus playing with friends is the ideal scenario for learning how to swim with ease.

I'd persist, for all of the reasons the PPs mentioned, but I wouldn't incur much greater cost unless you were getting 1:1 lessons (which can be short...15 mins). If you can find any way to involve Jackson in a swimming situation which includes some kids he knows well, all the better. I really strongly believe that playing with his friends int he pool (especially if htey are good swimmers) is a huge help for a child trying to soak up some water skills!

 

Thanks, everybody!

Jackson does fine splashing around with friends/cousins, because he's so tall, he can touch bottom the entire length of any public/hotel pool. The problem is the deep end. However, he has no incentive to learn to tread water or actually swim because he can always just stand.

I've decided to treat this as I would music lessons. We wouldn't give him piano/guitar lessons in periodic two-week spurts, and I don't think we should do that with swimming, either. I think I'm going to put him in weekly, near-constant lessons until he gets it. He really loves the water, so he'll look forward to it. And I'm thinking of putting H&B in now as well. DH and I assumed because we learned easily with once-per-summer lessons that Jackson would, too, and it's just not the case. And I don't think we should rely on that strategy with H&B, either.

Thanks for all the advice!

 

quote:
The one thing that DID make a difference to lessons was the year we had 1:1 private lessons at our neighborhood pool in CIncinnati.


Thanks for the recommendation, Renee. I found one-on-one private lessons at the Y, just a few minutes from our house. I'm definitely going to call!