5 yrs old hates swimming lessons

loulou41

My 5 yrs old grandson had 3 courses of intensive swimming lessons in a small group. He did ok as the teacher was very patient. He just started a 10 wk course of swimming lesson in the same pool but with a different teacher and he hates it. He cries and seems unhappy and does not like to put his face under the water. My daughter does not know what to do as it hurts to see her little boy miserable. She is a very good swimmer and swam at national level and was not confident when she was his age. Should she persevere or give up and try later on? The lesson is not cheap at £10 for 30 mins. There is also the option of 1 to 1 at £30. Thanks

elsien

Why force him if he dislikes it?
Can't his mum just take him to the pool herself, have fun with him and turn it into a game to get him more used to the water?

sooty&sweep

Hi
Personally I'd give up & try again when he's older but not too much older.
My son hated swimming at that age & would cry in the lessons.
He hated putting his face in the water
I ended up paying for one to one lessons when he was 13 as he didn't learn to swim at school either.
By the time he was 13 he was too big for normal swimming lessons but the teacher I found was very patient with him & spent a lot of time getting him to put his face in water to overcome that fear.
Jen

badmemory

You cannot force a child to swim. I finally learnt at 19 in the sea. But I was born next door to a swimming pool, I was forced to take swimming lessons for several years at grammar school & never learnt to swim more than a few yards. I did a good chinese length though. I still dislike water. Showers were designed for people like me & greased lightening is the description of that shower. Some people don't like water. It isn't about fear. I am not afraid of water, I just don't like getting all over wet. Once I've been wet I take ages to feel dry again, which I think is actually the problem. So two bath sheets later (not towels) & I still don't feel dry.


If that is how your child feels then frankly it isn't fear it is distaste which is altogether different.


I may have learnt how to swim in the sea at 19 but it isn't an experience I have looked to repeat over the last 50 years. I just don't like water. Not everyone does.

loulou41

Thanks for all your comments. Her mother did not like swimming at that age and used to cry. She turned out to be an excellent swimmer and competed in her teens all over the country. It is the teacher who is not as good as the last one. Unfortunately she has moved. The company now is swimsplash he is going in a smaller class with another teacher next week. We will see how it goes as she has paid for the whole term. The other option is for him to have 1 to 1. He is used to water as we used to take swimming every week when he was a toddler. Just does not like to put his face in water.

Red-Squirrel_2

Best thing to do is try a different teacher, or try to go back to the one he was happy with. I’d be loathe to give up as swimming is not just a hobby, it’s an important essential skill that could save his life one day.

badmemory

If you are sitting near him & put your hands over his ears, how does he react. Stop it or STOP IT. The ears are as likely to be the problem as the face/nose.

lewishardwick

If he doesn't like the new classes, I'd stop for a while and find a new pool.

I hated swimming lessons as a child, it felt forced and a "you must do well" attitude.

I've never been afraid of water, just hated the lessons.

I was fortunate to get some lessons a few years ago (in my early 30s) now I really enjoy it.

Money_maker

Why cant his mother teach him if she used to swim at national level? She must have full knowledge of technique. All my children had to learn to swim - it was one activity which was not negotiable. DS2 was also quite unhappy at that age as it took him a while to get the confidence. Once they can do it, there's no further problems. Sadly they had to learn as I couldn't swim and I needed them to be able to save themselves if there was an accident. I have subsequently learned to swim since but it has taken a long time. I really wish I had had lessons as a child.

Dox

Why does he have to put his face in water at such a tender age? You can swim without getting your face wet (I do!).

Money_maker

Dox wrote: »

Why does he have to put his face in water at such a tender age? You can swim without getting your face wet (I do!).

Yes, a lot of ladies swim with full make up and styled hair! They teach kids to put their faces in so they can perform the strokes properly. You really can't do front crawl or breaststroke without dipping your head in. It also gives them confidence in the water and they are encouraged to get used to the water without goggles too when they are a bit bigger.