My little boy has just nearly drowned in his swimming lesson

Curlywurli

I nearly drowned when I was little too. My sister went to a special needs school and I was a bit of a novelty so got chosen to go there on treats a lot (my school was literally over the road). They chose me to go and use their swimming pool with some others and I was out of my depth. I still remember it now, quite clearly, but it hasn't actually put me off swimmming.
I don't quite remember when I went swimming after, but we went a lot as a family. Children are quite tough and it is best to get straight back in. You were right not to make too much of it in front of your son. Hope it hasn't affected him too much.

milliemonster

ChrisCobra wrote: »

Fair enough , i wasnt judging

I had a problem with swimming when i was at school because the teachers were utter idiots , letting you jump in the deep end and you had to grab a stick they were holding so you could learn .

Trouble is they removed the stick just as you jumped in , needless to say i went in like a rock and didnt swim basically for another 6 or so years , idiots

Sorry Chris, I didn't think you were judging, I hope I haven't offended you in any way:o

Yes I remember those sticks from my own childhood, the ones they used on us were like fishing nets minus the net bit that they held in front of your face as you swam, all I can remember thinking is that if I get into trouble I'll either drown or be strangled by that thing!:rotfl:

elfen

Can you go to the pool with your son, say at the weekend, as a treat, just to play and splash about, so he bouilds back up some of that confidence he has being in the water? If he stays in the shallows that's ok, but if either you or DH are confident swimmers, you could go up to the deep end with him (son doing backstroke) so he knows its OK?

I really wish I could actually swim, I can only do about 10 metres (and was chuffed with that) but OH thinks it's hilarious that I can't

bitzer_maloney

milliemonster wrote: »

We have decided that when he goes back, dh will have a word with his regular teacher (who is fantastic) to let her know what happened and just explain he may need his confidence building up a little bit. It will be a couple of weeks as we are going on holiday on Monday so plenty of time to get him in the pool with us and build him back up again.

This totally sounds like the best thing to do. I don't have kids, but I *was* that kid crying on the edge of the pool for many years (and the grown woman crying in the pool out of her wits at times). I had a terrible experience with school swimming lessons and didn't try to swim again for 20 years, bar when I got dragged into the pool on holidays but that's a whole other story...

Anyway, I have only just got my confidence up and learned in the last few months and now enjoy it so much. I know that had my family taken me back and got me in the water after I'd had my setback, I'd have got over the fear and got back my confidence. Give him some structure and things to aim for in the pool interspersed with lots of play (i.e. swimming to get to toys/noodles/balls then play) and he'll be fine I'm sure.

I'm sorry you both had such a scare, but good on you for not showing him your distress, play it cool and hopefully he'll get over it soon enough

JCP

And a me too to Bitzer Maloney's advice.
I had a similar experience at school, where the teachers threw those who claimed not to be able to swim in at the deep end. Predictably we were then fished out with what I can only describe as a lasso on a pole. I didn't go back into a swimming pool until I was 25, and learning to swim as an adult is a lot more difficult I think.

Since it is the school holidays, maybe take him to the pool outside of lessons, just to get him used to it again, and have some fun.
I really hope he gets over his fright soon, but I totally sympathise with his reaction.
Best of luck
J

ChrisCobra

milliemonster wrote: »

Sorry Chris, I didn't think you were judging, I hope I haven't offended you in any way:o

Yes I remember those sticks from my own childhood, the ones they used on us were like fishing nets minus the net bit that they held in front of your face as you swam, all I can remember thinking is that if I get into trouble I'll either drown or be strangled by that thing!:rotfl:

I dont get offended hardly ever , work has eliminated that a long time ago. My skin is thicker than two short planks.

Try taking your son on your own to get his confidence back maybe.

fatpiggy

Does your little boy not wear armbands? I wouldn't allow any child who could only "manage a few strokes" to be unaccompanied in any depth of water, not least the deep end without armbands. My parents taught me to swim in the pool belonging to the college where my dad worked. Armbands all the time until I was physically strong enough to learn to support my self, then taking one step back from the side and swimming to it, then 2 steps back and so on. By the time I was 5 I was a strong and confident swimmer. I think you are doing the right thing though by not making a big deal of it in front of your son. Hopefully, seeing his usual teacher will make him forget this bit of upset. If you can possibly take him swimming yourself in between lessons though, please do. He will come on so much faster and like anything else in life, it is all a matter of practice.

Katie-Kat-Kins

He needs to get back on the horse! I think you know this already but you need to get him swimming again (just in his depth) as soon as possible. It is a vital life skill. My DH doesn't swim and hates it, it makes him very nervous of being in more than a few inches of water.

I'm a decent enough swimmer thanks to some lessons as a chilld and have never had a near drowning, but I do ride horses and the most important thing is to get back on after a fall. My childhood instructor always insisted upon it. It works, so take him for a fun swim ASAP.

Then have a word with the regular instructor, it sounds as though he has been moved up too quickly and often that can hit a child's confidence. If he isn't the most confident he might benefit from being top of a lower level group for half a term before moving up.

milliemonster

No he doesn't wear armbands anymore, it was his choice to take them off in his first lesson at this pool and when he is in the shallow end where he can obviously touch the floor or swimming with us I don't have a problem with that, I think it will be harder for him to learn to swim and support his own weight with armbands on than without but I'm definitely not happy for him to go in the deep end again without an adult actually in the pool with him or armbands on until he is a much stronger swimmer.

Luckily today he seems to have forgotten all about it, is looking forward to our holiday on Monday (where we will be swimming every day) and is happy to go back for his lessons when we get back.

The_Next_Verse

I'm glad your little one is ok. I don't think you are overreacting, I think you were just a scared mum who felt out of control in the situation and was naturally quite scared by this.

I agree with the above comments (my apologies, I just scanned them and haven't read them all) and think you should take him back when he is ready as he probably had his confidence knocked a bit from the experience.

I'm sure he will get back in the water when he's ready.

~The Next Verse