baby swim lessons

"[email hidden]" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Can babies learn to swim?" is a topic that swwmingly has not been
posted on google groups for a few years. Is that because there are so
many swim programs out there for babies that everyone is satisfied with
the baby swim programs? Are you in a good program right now? I think
that it is important to start babies ASAP in the water. Drowning is
still a major cause of death in babies and young children. I think
that something has to be done. What I think is happening in most baby
swim classes in this country is Moms (and sometimes Dads) just holding
their babies insecurely and not really getting the instruction they
need. That is not to say that there are many different programs out
there for babies and children under 5 years old, but many of the
instructors don't have any experience and have not been taught how to
deal with parents in the mother-baby classes. What is the answer? (To
be continued by Bea of www.swimbea.com)

How on earth do you know WHAT is happening in "most baby swim classes in
this country"?

Pat in TX

Quoted message said:

"[email hidden]" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

"Can babies learn to swim?" is a topic that swwmingly has not been
posted on google groups for a few years. Is that because there are so
many swim programs out there for babies that everyone is satisfied
with the baby swim programs? Are you in a good program right now? I
think that it is important to start babies ASAP in the water.
Drowning is still a major cause of death in babies and young children.
I think that something has to be done. What I think is happening in
most baby swim classes in this country is Moms (and sometimes Dads)
just holding their babies insecurely and not really getting the
instruction they need. That is not to say that there are many
different programs out there for babies and children under 5 years
old, but many of the instructors don't have any experience and have
not been taught how to deal with parents in the mother-baby classes.
What is the answer? (To be continued by Bea of www.swimbea.com)

You need to distinguish between teaching the person to swim versus [ugh,
such a terrible phrase] -- Water Safe. There are many reasons to start
a child in water ASAP, but hey let's face it most of those reasons are
personal. Drowning is not the result of the child knowing or not how to
swim, it is the result of an unsafe area and unsupervised time. True a
child can drown in a toilet or even a pan of water and my heart goes to
any that has lost or known someone lost in such a tragedy, but the
cause remains a lack of safety.

I taught lessons for years, ranging from "mommy and me (and daddys too)"
through the age groups, adaptive and adult lessons. I also coached youth
swimming and water polo. Was I trained? Yes, I had all the applicable
courses, and was fairly adept at it as well.

But when it came time for my own children things didn't go as planned.
No trauma fortunately, but my daughter inherited my spouse's lack of
affinity for the water. Only now that she is nearing eight years old
does shestart to swim and voluntarily put her head under water! It has
pained me for years to not have her enjoy the water as I do and be safe.

My son on the other hand "took to the water like a duck". At three eyars
old he was with me in the surf off La Jolla. He still is unable to swim
full lengths (at 5 years old) but only because of a lack of practice in
a larger pool. He can "bob" and float and self-rescue should he get in
over his head; so while I don't keep a constant eye on him as much as
his older sister I still watch them when they are in the water.

Now I don't know how it works in your neck of the woods, nor would I
suggest to generalities, just giving my experience(s).