How hard to push swimming lessons? (Consequences, bribes?) age 4.5

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd ask the teacher what he/she recommends. Reluctance towards swimming lessons is so common - they may have suggestions on what to do.

She offered to teach him 1:1 which he LOVES. But the class is a fraction of the cost, and it’s about forming community and making friends. And the 1:1 lessons are extra!

He’s just being difficult, I sense. There isn’t a legit reason not to do the class.

Then I would do 1:1. Maybe he's embarrassed about his level compared to his peers? Maybe he gets bored if the instructor is tending to other people and he has to wait? I don't know, but learning to swim is worth the $. If he's got a good foundation and he loves the instructor, then maybe he'll get to a good point very quickly. 1:1 could even cost less in the long run, or maybe you could include his sibling also and both will advance more quickly than in a group.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd ask the teacher what he/she recommends. Reluctance towards swimming lessons is so common - they may have suggestions on what to do.

She offered to teach him 1:1 which he LOVES. But the class is a fraction of the cost, and it’s about forming community and making friends. And the 1:1 lessons are extra!

He’s just being difficult, I sense. There isn’t a legit reason not to do the class.

Then I would do 1:1. Maybe he's embarrassed about his level compared to his peers? Maybe he gets bored if the instructor is tending to other people and he has to wait? I don't know, but learning to swim is worth the $. If he's got a good foundation and he loves the instructor, then maybe he'll get to a good point very quickly. 1:1 could even cost less in the long run, or maybe you could include his sibling also and both will advance more quickly than in a group.

I also would add that I think bribes are fine. As I told my reluctant swimmer, learning to swim is hard work, and everyone who puts in a good effort deserves an ice cream cone on the way home. Not sure I would do that for an every day treat (ours was once a week), but maybe on Fridays after a good weekly effort.

[Anonymous]

Consequences? Bribes? He's 4.5 !! Too young for pressure from you.

[Anonymous]

My kid got so much more out of 1 on 1 lessons with an amazing instructor (who also coaches special olympics) than a class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid got so much more out of 1 on 1 lessons with an amazing instructor (who also coaches special olympics) than a class.

I know but the classes really are good. And they build team community. Plus they’re basically included with the pool membership. I’m really hesitant to pay extra for this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid got so much more out of 1 on 1 lessons with an amazing instructor (who also coaches special olympics) than a class.

I know but the classes really are good. And they build team community. Plus they’re basically included with the pool membership. I’m really hesitant to pay extra for this.

Really good classes that build team community are useless if your kid won't take the class. Unless he's a particularly obstinate kid, there's a reason he won't do it; you just don't know what it is (and it's probably some kid-logic that wouldn't make sense to anyone else). I really disagree with the advice to just let him sit next to you all summer if need be. What a waste. Seems like cutting off your nose to spite your face. Maybe try the bribe, but I think that if you 1) have a mechanism to teach him how to swim (1:1, and only assuming you can afford it); and 2) you want him to learn how to swim, then 3) you should use the mechanism you have, rather than insist that your kid really ought to be fine with something he's clearly not fine with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid got so much more out of 1 on 1 lessons with an amazing instructor (who also coaches special olympics) than a class.

I know but the classes really are good. And they build team community. Plus they’re basically included with the pool membership. I’m really hesitant to pay extra for this.

Really good classes that build team community are useless if your kid won't take the class. Unless he's a particularly obstinate kid, there's a reason he won't do it; you just don't know what it is (and it's probably some kid-logic that wouldn't make sense to anyone else). I really disagree with the advice to just let him sit next to you all summer if need be. What a waste. Seems like cutting off your nose to spite your face. Maybe try the bribe, but I think that if you 1) have a mechanism to teach him how to swim (1:1, and only assuming you can afford it); and 2) you want him to learn how to swim, then 3) you should use the mechanism you have, rather than insist that your kid really ought to be fine with something he's clearly not fine with.

OP here and I actually think he’s just obstinate. He’s dug in the more that we insisted. That’s what I’m asking: bribe? Consequences? Just let him sit with me?

[Anonymous]

Honestly, do this the right way. Find a good one on one instructor.

I know you think your kid has a "great foundation' but actually getting from "he can sort of swim with floaties" to "he can swim confidently" is the hardest step because it requires confidence in addition to a lot of focus and awareness of what you're doing.

A lot of times this is really, really hard to accomplish in a class setting.

[Anonymous]

Just do the 1:1, OP. It’s a survival skill. As he gets more comfortable you can transition back to the group.

[Anonymous]

I'm generally not a fan of floaties because I think they can become a.crutch. they also tend to hold a kid more upright which is the wrong position to swim in, so a kid used to floaties who tries to swim.without them may try to swim upright and sink.

You might try to use it as part of transitioning away. He's a big boy who doesn't need floaties anymore so it's time to learn to swim without them.

[Anonymous]

How about go to x classes and then you can have a private lesson. Like class Monday - Thursday and lesson on Friday.

[Anonymous]

Can you be in the pool with him during the class? Maybe doing what they’re doing in a different section?

[Anonymous]

Hard. Swimming is a life skill. Push harder because you are around water regularly. Pay for 4 private lessons and see what happens.

[Anonymous]

Don’t push it. Let him play in the water and work on learning to swim that way. If he were older I might say force out. But at his age you can teach him a lot of the skills yourself.

[Anonymous]

Swimming is a life skill that is essential. For that reason, I only put my kids in private lessons. Small group lessons provide 1/5 of the actual swim time one on one provides.

Yes, it is more expensive, but money extremely well spent in my mind.