Is my child too young for swimming lessons?

Having kids under the age of 4 is tough - especially if you have more than one. Most people think their toddlers are too young for swimming lessons. But the reality is that 4 years is a long time to prevent any accidental falls or jumps into water - multiply that by the number of kids you have; it’s hard work! I’m not saying there’s a way you can stop watching your kids. I’m saying there’s a way to try to give yourself more than 1 minute to respond in the worst case scenario. A method that can literally save your child's life. There are many parents who've experienced this situation. So what is that method? Teaching them from young. Think about how much your child learns in the first year of their life. It is pretty remarkable what they are able to achieve! Learning to float is one of those things. Babies can learn to float and hold on to the side of the pool and even climb out, before they learn to walk! Now every child is different, they will not all learn at the same pace, and they will not all enjoy it. But children have many falls while learning to walk, and most of the time, they are fine. But just one small fall into the water can be deadly - especially if they were never taught what to do! So the purpose of this post is to explain a bit more about water safety, and why and how it works.

What is water safety?

Water safety training starts with getting your child accustomed to getting water in their face. Happy splashing helps them adjust to holding their breath under water more confidently. There are a few ways to teach and transition the child to this point so that they feel more prepared. Once your child has mastered holding their breath and when they no longer need to be told to do so, they can learn to get onto their back to float. Teaching them gently how to do this and watching how they adapt can take a while. But once they learn that.. they are capable of saving their own life, or at least giving the caregiver extra time to realize they are missing or need help. They must be able to float confidently as that gives a parent extra time to find and get to them. Some infants will not enjoy it and may start to cry. But that is not a bad thing, as it alerts someone that they need help. The more lessons they do, the more they can learn. Yes, some can get to the edge of the pool by themselves and hold on, or can be taught to locate the steps. Those around 2 years may learn to swim a bit to get to safety without help. This is not a fairytale - there are plenty of videos out there which show this.

Sounds great, but maybe you haven’t seen this first hand and the thought of it scares you. So why not just keep your child away from the water or always use a floaty. They can learn when they’re older, right? Well, yes they can. But think about what that child is learning in the meantime.

What if I just keep my child away from water?

Keeping a child away from water gives them no education about what water is, how it works or how to survive in it. Babies are curious and try to experience everything, because that is how they learn. Keeping your child away from water won’t stop them from trying to figure out what it is the second they have a chance. If they wander into the water, they will be shocked and not knowing what to do, they will eventually inhale water.

Can’t I keep my child safe with floaties?

Keeping your child in a floaty sounds like a good idea (and I am not completely against this, once you also spend time teaching them without it). The problem with a floaty, is if the child has no practice without it, that is their full education on swimming and water safety. Meaning, their lessons are “If I fall in, I float”, “I float in an upright position”, “I don’t need any help in the water, I can swim alone”, “the water is a fun and extremely safe place”. All of these are extremely incorrect once the float comes off and will only lead to faster drowning. Many kids have also managed to slip out of some of the most secure floats unnoticed.

What lessons should teach them is “If I fall in, I go under”, “I must hold my breath under water”, “I need to get into position to float”. These are the lessons that enable them to save themselves and give you more time should they ever need help.

So what should I do?

The best thing you can do is find lessons where water safety is a priority. Make sure your child is making progress; they should be learning to hold their breath and to float. If you cannot find classes that focus on water safety, regular swimming lessons which teach the child to lie horizontally to swim are still a benefit. These classes may be slower in making your child independent (for infants), but they will be learning how to move through the water correctly and that they don’t float automatically.

Ask questions, and if you are not satisfied with the answers, go somewhere else. Remember, your child's safety is the number one priority - you should feel like it is the number one priority for the instructor also; don’t leave your child with someone you don’t fully trust.

Feel free to message me if you have any questions. I am happy to answer them on my instagram page. To book swimming lessons in Barbados or request another topic for me to write about, send me a message.