Joker Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 Does anyone have any great suggestions or links? My youngest is 11 and cannot swim. She has stated she just doesn't trust swim instructors (we've tried lessons several years in a row). She loves to go to the pool. She goes underwater with no problem and will fetch rings. She can swim to me a short distance underwater, but nothing above water. She will go all over the pool and float with a noodle, but just can't do it on her own. Help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRy9qGW6ao0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lailasmum Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 Uswim.com is a great website with a simple outline of swimming lessons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZooRho Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 Did you do one on one lessons? I'm so sorry she's had bad experiences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ondreeuh Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 That uswim site is awesome! My 5 y/o is almost done with 6 weeks of summer lessons and I think I will use the uswim lessons afterwards - especially since lessons don't resume until after the high school swim season is over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 does she have trust issues with the water? I mean trust in herself to be able to swim in water over her head. I really struggled with that - and it wasn't until I swam in deep water (not realizing it was over my head) that I became more confident and willing. I didn't have particularly bad instructors before that, just not ones that met my needs for confidence boosting. I've a dear friend whose son also had issues. she finally dragged him down to the hotel pool on a vacation and made him learn to dog paddle. he was 12. he gained enough confidence he started taking actual swim lessons to learn the different strokes. he attended college on a swimming scholarship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pod's mum Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 You could use the technique of my non-swimming mum and step on hands as they grab desperately onto the edges of the pool until the gasping child paddles enough to get to the other side. Not a really nurturing type I guess. (We did also go to swimming lessons each summer for years right up to lifesaving levels. We have two weeks per year of subsidised lessons in this state.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3littles Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 Another vote for uswim! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down_the_Rabbit_Hole Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 What about a swim vest? Dd was too scared to try swimming until we got her one of these. Then she played in the deep water without fear, swam around, and got comfortable in the water. She was able to practice swim moves with out worry. Once her confidence was built up she left the vest off and swims like a fish now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2scouts Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 Spend plenty of time in pools and lakes. Seriously. I didn't think my oldest would ever learn to swim and swim lessons were a waste of time and money. He learned to swim on vacation when we spent every day at the beach and pool. For him, becoming comfortable in the water was the most important thing. He eventually became a life guard who was both lake and pool certified and he joined a swim team for a year. This same method worked with my second, third, and fourth children. Give her time. I think she's doing fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiguirre Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 Sounds like she is doing pretty well either way. I taught myself how to swim. I don't recall how, but it was good enough to pass a swimming test to take diving lessons. My 11 year old won't put his face under the water without pinching his nose with his fingers. That's at least a huge step for him, but he just won't. So swimming lessons have been pointless. And I've started on him since he was a toddler! *sigh* If he wants to learn to swim, I'd get him a nose clip. http://www.amazon.com/Speedo-Competition-Nose-Clip-Charcoal/dp/B008DXEDCC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374076194&sr=8-1&keywords=nose+clip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 Sounds like she is doing pretty well either way. I taught myself how to swim. I don't recall how, but it was good enough to pass a swimming test to take diving lessons. My 11 year old won't put his face under the water without pinching his nose with his fingers. That's at least a huge step for him, but he just won't. So swimming lessons have been pointless. And I've started on him since he was a toddler! *sigh* Youngest will get his face wet no problem. But he likes to wear goggles all the time. I used elestic bands and made a string and used it to tie a nose plug onto his googles. He usually put on his nose plug when he is going to be doing stuff that gets water up his nose. Spend plenty of time in pools and lakes. Seriously. I didn't think my oldest would ever learn to swim and swim lessons were a waste of time and money. He learned to swim on vacation when we spent every day at the beach and pool. For him, becoming comfortable in the water was the most important thing. He eventually became a life guard who was both lake and pool certified and he joined a swim team for a year. This same method worked with my second, third, and fourth children. Give her time. I think she's doing fine. That's what we did. Lots and lots of time in a pool and when possible a lake. No pressure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
songsparrow Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 If you have a child who doesn't like to wear a nose clip, you can try snorkel goggles. They have a plastic piece that covers the nose, so that you can only breathe through the mouth. They don't pinch the nose, like nose clips. For years, my one daughter would only swim when wearing snorkel goggles, because they relieved her worry that she'd get water up her nose. She swam like a fish as long as she had her snorkel goggles to wear. She'll now wear regular goggles. The only drawback to snorkel goggles is that some pools / lifeguards won't permit them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 They don't allow nose clips, swim vests, kick boards, flotation devices of any sort, etc. here. They do allow goggles, but not the type with a snorkel or a nose piece. So you couldn't use one of these? http://247swim.com/2010/01/15/swimming-nose-clips/ Why ever not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baseball mom Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 Do you have a friend with a pool. Dc didn't want to do swim lessons (cause only little kids take lessons around here - their words not mine). We asked our friends if they would be willing to teach our children. It worked out really well because our kids were comfortable around friends and learned really quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker Posted July 17, 2013 Author Share Posted July 17, 2013 The uswim site is great. I can use lots of those things. Thanks! We have a pool within walking distance that's just for our subdivision, so we go often but she just hasn't picked it up yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 Uswim.com is a great website with a simple outline of swimming lessons. Thank you for sharing this! I had never heard of it and I think it will be great for my kids. Lessons were a BOMB here, but we recently got an above ground. DS is doing excellent on his own, without lessons, but I think the structure of that site will help all of us. Cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoCandJ Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 Thanks for the site :) we are wanting to teach dd how to swim since we are pretty much surrounded by lakes and she "swims" often on the weekends Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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