5 yrs old hates swimming lessons

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  • kazwookie
    kazwookie Posts: 13,842 Forumite
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    1, Change the teacher
    2. Change the class
    3. Change the pool / go somewhere else

    I don't put my face in the water, I can swim, maybe not to national standards or any thing near that, but if I had to save myself I am sure I could do it.
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  • Red-Squirrel_2
    Red-Squirrel_2 Posts: 4,341 Forumite
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    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!).

    It’s important to get used to it and to learn to hold their breath underwater so they have a better chance if they ever fall into deep water.
  • MothballsWallet
    MothballsWallet Posts: 15,852 Forumite
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    badmemory wrote: »
    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.
    Not swimming related, but when I was a lot younger, I'd used to scream in a lift.

    The doctor found a pressure imbalance in one ear and I had to have an operation to correct it.

    A child's ears are a lot more delicate than most people think.
  • Gillybean
    Gillybean Posts: 290 Forumite
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    My eldest hated swimming lessons at first. Then at about age 7 decided he wanted to learn, entirely his decision, he just asked us one day.

    I had spoken to swimming teachers bout it when he refused to go in and they said the most important thing about swimming is being comfortable in the water. So we still went swimming as a family which he enjoyed and it made sure he felt happy and confident being in the water. Maybe your daughter could do this for a while, a bit of teaching herself and hopefully she’ll be happy to learn at a later date.
  • Fireflyaway
    Fireflyaway Posts: 2,766 Forumite
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    I see not point in forcing the issue. If he is scared he is not going to learn much.
    Is he is to go to the pool with his mum and just play about? Paddle in a shallow pool or drift about with arm bands etc? Make it fun until he is confident. To be honest does he even need lessons? My mum taught me to swim. As long as he learns water safety and learns to swim to a basic standard and tread water does technique matter much? Maybe it's not going to be his thing or maybe he will enjoy swimming but once he is older.
  • elsien
    elsien Posts: 32,734 Forumite
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    You don't need formal lessons in order to learn how to swim.
    If mum's a good swimmer she will know the techniques. She could teach him but at a style/pace that suits him. If he's happy enough in the water otherwise, that's the main thing.
    I never had lessons but can do a perfectly adequate crawl, breaststroke and backstroke. I also learned to swim in the sea so got used to waves splashing in the face at a very early age
    All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.

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  • Spendless
    Spendless Posts: 24,150 Forumite
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    I tried both of mine at too early an age (3) and had to stop and try again when they felt confident, that was aged 5 for DS who quickly learned and aged 6.5 for DD. Personally I'd stop the lessons for now and re-start at a later age.
  • Seanymph
    Seanymph Posts: 2,874 Forumite
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    I am not a fan of forcing children to do something they are so clearly saying they do not want to do.

    Talk to him, find out why if you can, and help him to enjoy other things. I hate that the example that his mother used to hate it and then was successful is used.

    He is a different person, surely he deserves to live a different life of his choosing rather than replicate hers?

    Hobbies - and swimming is a hobby - should be fun.
  • Money_maker
    Money_maker Posts: 5,471 Forumite
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    Swimming could be a lifesaver.
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  • seven-day-weekend
    seven-day-weekend Posts: 36,755 Forumite
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    I agree that children should learn to swim.

    However, as the little lad is so upset, why can't he just be in the pool with his mum, just having fun, until he learns to be more confident? It doesn't matter if he doesn't do the strokes 'correctly', surely, at his age, he can learn that when he is older. It is more important that he feels comfortable in the water.
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