s/o swimming threads - do you remember learning?

[fivetails]

Some of the posters in the swimming threads have mentioned that they remember learning how to swim - whether it was by the 'sink & swim' method or others - and I realized... I have no memory of being unable to swim! I do remember taking lessons, but these were higher level lessons...deep end of the pool - working on various strokes, diving, etc.

 

I have no childhood memories of dog paddling, wearing water wings, or anything like that - which is odd, given that I remember lots of stuff back to about the age of 4 (and in a couple of cases, 3)...maybe I learned very young - I'll have to ask my folks.

 

Anyway - do you remember actually learning how to swim? :)

Edited June 18, 2010 by fivetails
added poll options

[MamaT]

I don't remember learning to swim. I grew up in Florida and was always in the water or on my dad's or grandpa's boat. The water has always been very familiar to me.

[Jennifer in MI]

Yup. I took swimming lessons when I was 4. It was horrible. My teacher mocked my fear. It was horrible. To this day, I have a fear of the water. I won't swim with my family in the Caribbean because I'm scared of the fish. It's a horrible fear~!!! But, I did swim with dolphins in 40 ft water!!! I was SOOO scared!!! But, I DID IT!!!

[IsabelC]

I have a very early and very hazy memory of floating in a ring of some kind and wondering how I would get out of it. I suspect I was about 1yo at the time and could not swim. I also seem to remember I was alone, but that can't be right as no way would my parents have been further than arms reach away from me (probably somebody was behind me). Apart from that, I don't remember being unable to swim and I don't remember learning. I could definitely swim confidently by age 5 when my brother was born. I do recall having some lessons at school later on, at about age 9, but that was to improve stroke technique.

[OrganicAnn]

We took swimming lessons every summer beginning at about 6.

[Daisy]

I remember being taught by my parents (in a very informal way) but it never took. My sister is like a fish. I'm still holding my nose and chopping through the water like a landlubber.

 

Maybe that explains why my kids don't know how to swim yet. Sigh.

[ZooRho]

I remember taking lessons at the Y, and actually that coach ended up being at my church when I was a bit older, he was just a teen, and then his sister was my track coach in high school, ah digress over. anyway, What I remember most is that the day we did the test to move up and we were swimming in the deep section, and we were lined up across the edge of the pool kids on both sides, and the first kid jumped in to swim across and promptly sank straight to the bottom.

 

I don't remember anything else but that image.

[BikeBookBread]

I was 3 when I started lessons. I grew up in the Seattle area, so summer weather was definitely iffy. I remember absolutely FREEZING in the cinderblock dressing room at the "Mercer Island Swim Club" - no longer there. I had a navy blue swimsuit with white piping trim and big white footprints on the front. My towel was light blue with darker blue elephant mommy and baby.

 

I REMEMBER IT AS CLEAR AS YESTERDAY! I STILL love swimming, and really don't mind cooler water.

[LibraryLover]

I remember my Mom holding me and playing Motor Boat. I remember jumping off my dad's shoulders, and putting my foot in his hand and him pushing me off backwards. I felt safe and loved swimming. I am mixing up these memories, but I am thinkinking between 4/6 8/9? I do remember stroke swimming lessons at the beach and at the pool. I was probably 8 or so for those...I know I could already swim. I enjoyed that.

[BritAnnia]

We took swimming lessons at school. Our little infant and junior school had it's own old bus which was a very special thing at the time. We'd bus the mile or so to the comprehensive school's swimming pool to take our weekly lessons. There would be so many weeks of lessons and then awards were given in the form of a small coloured patch of fabric. I forget the exact colouring but each colour symbolized the distance swum. (Is swum a word?) ie: Red for one width of the small pool, yellow for one length, etc. The fabric patches were usually sewn directly onto the bathing suit and we were all very proud of them :)

[AngieW in Texas]

I posted in the other loop about how I learned to swim. I loved being in the pool but I was terrified of drowing. I wasn't going near anybody who was going to dunk (had already been dunked before).

 

I learned when I was 13yo. I saw a dad teaching his kids how to swim. He was very gentle and never dunked any of them. I asked him to teach me. He had me swimming in that one night.

 

I still swim on top of the water rather than under it.

[Peela]

I remember having swimming lessons at a neighbour's pool. I remember moving to a home with a pool age 6, and not yet being able to swim in the deep end, but within days, learning to.

I remember being a dog paddler for years, and swimming in quite challenging rivers etc from a young age.

So yes, I remember learning to swim. Most kids learn to swim here in Australia, aroudn the time they start school.

[Melissa in Australia]

I had swimming lessons at 4. all my children started swimming lessons at 4. Nearly everyone I know sends their children for swimming lessons by age 4.

[teamturner]

I remember being taught how to dog paddle and then tossed into the deep end. Sink or swim. Maybe that's where that phrase came from. I remember the pool had a large wooden fence around it and the mothers were not present. It was a drop off situation. I don't remember how old I was, but being thrown into the deep end made quite an impression. I didn't make me fear the water or anything although it was scary at the time. I remember lessons at the same place in later years where specific stroke technique was taught.

[BridgeTea]

I learned to swim in a lake the summer before I turned 5. My parents were great swimmers and always looked like they were having so much fun out in the deeper water. I was determined to learn how to swim so I could join them, and I remember practicing swimming underwater one day until I could make out to where they were.

 

I still prefer to swim underwater to this day. I just flail around using any other stroke.

[usetoschool]

I grew up in So. Cal. where everyone had a pool and you just swim all the time. I don't recall ever not being able to swim. Well, back as far as I can remember and could be trusted in the water alone anyway.

[Baseball mom]

I remember taking swimming lessons at least 2 years. It was at the city pool. The 1st year it took the whole 2 weeks for me just to put my face in the water.

 

The next year I remember standing on the diving board. We were suppose to jump in. An instructor was in the pool in case we had trouble. I was standing on the edge of the board just looking down. I was sooo scared. Another instructor quickly stepped up behind me, picked me up and dropped me in the pool. That did NOT make me happy.

 

I learned how to swim but wouldn't say I swam like a fish or anything.

 

I feel bad that my kids haven't learned to swim yet (oldest is 12). We just don't really have access to a pool. The city pool closed down so no lessons there. I am a large person and I am not comfortable in shorts much less a swim suit and swimming hasn't been something we do.

[courtney.byrum]

I think I started at 4. I was on the swim team at 5 and my parents put in a pool when I was 6. I believe I was swimming really well on my own at that point as that was a requirement of theirs before they would get a pool.

 

Both my kids started lessons last year. My DS was the more hesitant one so we went with a swim school instead of the rec center lessons. It's been great to build their confidence and water safety skills.

[Sara in AZ]

My parents are huge swimmers. Swim is in fact their last name. We swam as a family all the time and I remember them playing with us in the pool a lot. I remember them working with me, and I have watched them work with my own children. Mostly just passing them back and forth at first and once they can do a little on their one, encouraging them to swim out to them as they move farther and farther across the pool.

 

That being said, I also remember being taken to swimming lessons many a summer. I don't remember a whole lot I learned in lessons, a thought I always dwell on as I've been shuttling my big kids back and forth to lessons this summer....

[Lolly]

Another who was just always swimming. My kids won't remember it either. They were all in the water from the time they were tiny. At 2, they could dive in and swim to me (on out in the pool a ways). They couldn't lift their heads to breath until 3; I guess that is where truly being able to swim comes in.

[Renthead Mommy]

We grew up with lake property. I don't ever remember not swimming. I never took a swim lesson and didn't know anyone that took swim lessons. When you heard it mentioned, it just seemed like an odd thing to do.

 

When I put my son in swim lessons, I sort of felt like a failure as a parent- having to PAY someone to teach my kid to swim! He just wasn't getting it with me. I finally realized he just didn't get to make it to the pool enough. We practically lived in the water. Plus there is a huge difference in learning to swim in a lake rather than a pool. The lake goes out gradually from the beach versus a pool that's 3 feet deep. Big, big difference when you only 3 feet or less tall!

[Dmmetler]

I learned to swim, literally, before I could walk well-I have mild cerebral palsy and it took two sets of surgeries to release my heel cords enough that I could walk any distance without pain. So my parents were encouraged to get me in the water to develop those muscles without the weight.

 

Having said that, I learned to swim really well when I joined the swim team in 6th grade. There's nothing like spending a couple of hours a day, every day, all summer for several years in the pool to improve your skills.

[Carrie12345]

I never took lessons, and I don't remember not knowing how to swim. I do remember being terrified to dive, lol!

 

I grew up swimming in various lakes (from the shore and from boats) from toddlerhood. When I was a little older, our campground got an inground pool. I was always in some sort of water.

 

My kids haven't taken to it as quickly as I did. Ds had some swimming lessons in gym class when he was in school. He's not a strong swimmer, but he's alright in a supervised pool.

My dds have finally given up the water wings, but still refuse to put their heads under.

Youngest ds loves the pool (with wings and holding on to someone), but still HATES the bathtub. :001_huh:

[StartingOver]

I honestly do not remember, we had a pool in the yard. My father was determined that I swim. My mother tells a story of being all dressed up one night to go on a business dinner with my dad. When I hollered, " Look Mom.", and dove in the pool. Mom jumped in after me, heels and all. She had no clue dad had taught me. I was 2 at the time. She didn't think it was so funny, but I love the story.

 

We lived on river front property when my older children were young ( literally 5 foot from my back door ). They were in the water from the time they were just a few weeks old. They both did the sink or swim method, but were young enough that it came naturally. Neither or them have any memory, they could swim by 2 very well.

 

Quince is learning to swim on his own, a real water lover ( I put him in classes, but the instructors just scared him, within 2 days after he was floating face down kicking his feet behind him on his own ). I am not sure how Emma will do, she doesn't seem to have the same love of water.

 

We live in a Gulf Coast town, Emma will have to learn one way or the other. But I will give her a bit of time, she is only 3.3.

 

My husband does not swim at all, he had a near drowning experience when he was young. He won't hardly get in water. We have a 12 foot by 36 inch pool, he will get in it, but it took some coaxing from me.

[KidsHappen]

Yes, I remember plain as day. Now if you ask me what I did yesterday, I don't have a clue :001_huh: but I guess that a whole 'nother kettle of fish.

[Colleen in SEVA]

I remember the day I learned! I grew up in Phoenix where EVERYONE has a pool, but I didn't learn until 8. Before then, I stayed on the stairs or wore water wings. We had a pool party when I was 8 and the younger kids were having fun in the deep end so I decided to learn during that pool party. By age 10 I was on a swim team. :)

 

I have done many lessons with my boys at the Y, but they haven't learned to swim from them. This fact really bothers me, I feel my boys should know how to swim by their ages.

 

And just because I share this story with parents every chance I get.... we lived in a house with a pool a few years ago. We put up a 5 foot fence with automatically locking gate, and the kids ONLY were allowed to swim when we were actually in the pool with them. We thought we were safe. One day, my oldest (he was 4? at the time) was on the stairs while DH and I were standing right next to him talking. I could see the top of his head in my peripheral vision, but what I didn't realize was that he had stepped onto the bottom step which caused his mouth/nose/eyes to go under water. He was under water for several seconds before I noticed (he was disoriented and couldn't find which way to go back up the stairs). He could have drowned, and we were WITHIN ARMS REACH.

 

Please be extra super duper safe around pools!! Growing up, I remember seeing on the news all the time kids who drowned in their own back yard. In fact, the family we sold that house to almost lost their son when he went under water and didn't come back up. Someone was at their house who happened to be an EMT, and he did CPR until the helicopter arrived.

Edited June 18, 2010 by Colleen in SEVA

[stripe]

I have a very vivid memory of my swimming instructor telling me she would put me in the water on the count of three. I was about 5.

 

She put me in (deliberately) on the count of one.

 

So I swallowed tons of water (as I had just started to inhale in preparation) and choked.

 

I also remember my classmates. One was a girl who had two prosthetic legs that she took off before each lesson. We all thought that was pretty cool.

[Karen in CO]

I'm a sink or swim survior!

My cousins thought I should learn to swim when I was about 4. We lived near a canal (I remembered canal my mom said an inlet to a shipping lane that cargo ships came in on). One day they said I should learn to swim so they tossed me off of it to see if I could. I'm still here.

 

I remember paddling in the gulf when I was older than that. Even later we had a pool and lived not far from the beach. I never took a swim lesson. I love to snorkle. I love the water. I am pretty sure I had a good chance of not suriving my first swim, but after that it was all good. I've also never had a fear of water.

[Sasharowan]

I have always been able to swim, but I do remember taking lessons to learn specific strokes as opposed to just underwater swimming. We lived on the beach when I was a toddler and other family lived next to a river, so I was probably swimming before I could walk.