When to stop swim lessons?

[Anonymous]

I required swim lessons until I could push my children in the pool and they could recover. They had to be able to get out of the pool without a ladder. They had to be able to flip over and do the back float, and not freak out if I splash water in their faces with no goggles.

They didn't have to have a pretty style, but I had to be fairly sure they could fall off a boat, or a dock, or into a pool, and not drown.

[Anonymous]

I continued swimming lessons until they could swim in the deep end of the pool (where their feet cannot touch the floor) independently. However, once they were semi independent swimmers, you switched them from private 1:1 lessons to group lessons because the 1:1 lessons are expensive especially when you have more than one child. I am usually laid back about most things but swimming was critical because they are in summer camp full time, I was very nervous about putting them in a camp that takes the children swimming without them being proficient swimmers.

[Anonymous]

Just wanted to add that's it's good to get your kids to practice without goggles sometimes, too. Many children over-rely on them and might not be able to cope well if suddenly they found themselves in water unexpectedly.

[Anonymous]

Like a PP, I put my kids in summer swim team to make them strong swimmers. This has somewhat backfired because now one of them wants to be on a year round club team which not only costs $$$ but will take up SO much time. Oh well. They will be good swimmers dammit!

[Anonymous]

I would not stop until they can competently swim across the deep end of the pool without stopping or trying to touch the bottom.
OP you really really ought to consider taking swim lessons for yourself. The reasons are obvious. Do you have ear tubes? I hope you are not letting something like getting your hair messy prevent you from learning a life saving skill.
My friend insisted on her kids doing swim team because she wanted them to be strong swimmers - so they could snorkel with her at their time share without worrying about them drowning so much! So many beautiful tropical fish, so many fun days waterskiing on the Chesapeake...so many reasons to leanr to swim.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do they want to stop or you don't want to due to cost/transportation? I'd keep going.

They want to stop. I want them to keep going, but I'm wondering if I'm holding them up to a silly standard. Answers seem all over the place!

For example, one can kick himself across but his face is in the water so he treads water if he needs to breathe mid-way. I told him he needs to keep going with lessons so he gets the stroke and breathing; that's not good enough. He says it shouldn't matter because he can pass the pool test cited above and because all he likes to do is jump in and get back out over and over. I'm going to make him keep going, but I want to give him a goal for when he can stop.

Former lifeguard here. I think it varies. They don't need to know how to do backstroke, breast stroke and a perfect freestyle to be good swimmers. I don't think doggy paddle is good swimming and they should be able to swim stronger than just that stroke (ie not a perfect freestyle but face in the water, turning head to breath) would be better. Strength will come with age and practice.
I think they should be able to swim confidently across a full length pool without breaks and be able to tread water.
If you are used to going to the same pool every day would they be confident swimmers in a new pool environment (bigger pool, deeper pool, etc.)

I think as a parent, you want to be confident that if they go to your local pool, a neighbor's pool, a hotel pool, lake, etc. they can swim confidently and safely. I want to know that if faced with a body of water they can get themselves to safety. If we were going to the ocean soon, I would keep up lessons even longer since that requires an even stronger swimmer.

Thanks - this is helpful as well as other responses. They go into all sorts of pools. They are in water 3-4 times a week (outside of the current swimming lessons). The one I'm referring to at the moment kicks great (strong and steady) but his arms are kind of wild, so often he doesn't use them at all, just kicks his way and treads for a few seconds if he needs to take a breath. They are both totally comfortable in deep water, as I said the most time is spent jumping in (deep end) and getting out and they also like to toss things onto the bottom and retrieve it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you watch them if you can't swim? Do you rely on others to jump in the deep end if sth were to happen?

Thank you for your concern. They know how to swim; so I'm watching out for them getting tired or a cramp or something. Once, one got tired and I threw him a pole. Otherwise all has been fine. Yes, I would feel comfortable relying on a lifeguard to jump in the deep end if need be.

But how are you going to supervise in the ocean? Unless you never go to the beach.

Or at a hotel pool where there isn't a lifeguard? There are lots of times you'll be around water without a lifeguard. Learn to swim. It's not that hard.

Actually, it's extremely hard for certain adults to learn to swim. My mother did not learn to swim as a child and she tried many different times, with many different instructors, as an adult, and was just not able to learn. As a result, she made sure that all of her kids became good, strong swimmers, because she knew she could never save us. We also never swam unless a life guard was present.

[Anonymous]

We stopped once it was clear my son could swim well, but not necessarily with good form. There were several things that proved this

1. He passed the deep water swim test at a few pools
2. We realized he could swim the full length of the pool
3. He was able to hold his own in various swim related things.

If you kids soend so much time in pools and the deep end, they are probably fine. But if you are nervous, a few more lessons will not hurt.

Btw. My mom does not swim and we had a pool and went to the beach. It was simply my dads job to watch us in the ocean. It is ok that you do not swim.

[Anonymous]

"I don't swim". What you mean is "I can't swim".

Why? Because I wouldn't get my fat ass off the couch when I was eight to go to lessons.

[Anonymous]

I grew up in a country with so many bodies of water everywhere, that they have mandatory swimming lessons in schools which the kids have to attend until they pass a test. Being able to swim is as critical a skill there as walking. We are currently looking to move back to that country and into a nice waterfront property. Needless to say I have a specific list of swimming skills (that they require in that test) DC has to fulfill, no discussion, no debates.

This includes:
- Two laps of breaststroke in the pool without pausing to stop.
- Treading water for one minute.
- Floating on their back.
- One lap of backstroke without pausing to stop.
- One lap of crawling, doesn't have to be perfect technique, but the sequence needs to be automatic.
- Staying under water as long as possible, eyes open and proper breathing technique. (We make DC dive for things and retrieve them).
- One lap breaststroke under water, only coming up for air every 3-5 strokes.
- Jumping into the water off a 1 meter high board.
- All of the above without goggles.
- All of the above wearing lose-fitting clothes.
- All of the above in colder/moving/salt water.
- Absolutely no panic reactions to getting thrown into the water, splashed water at their faces, being pulled under.
- Theoretical knowledge of water safety, identifying bodies of water, knowing your limits, knowing how to react to which emergency.

Only then would I consider letting DC swim without an adult licensed (!!!) rescue swimmer watching like a hawk. No, a regular (even good) swimmer isn't enough to save a drowning person. Let alone a non-swimmer, that's just negligent.

TL;DR: No OP, your child isn't nearly proficient enough to stop learning with someone who can teach him.

[Anonymous]

Swim team is more fun than lessons and will teach your kids quickly and for less money. Sign up next year!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"I don't swim". What you mean is "I can't swim".

Why? Because I wouldn't get my fat ass off the couch when I was eight to go to lessons.

This is uncalled for. The most common reasons are socio-economic, not laziness. Maybe OP's family didn't have the means or access to swimming lessons. OP is providing lessons for her own children. Good for her/him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"I don't swim". What you mean is "I can't swim".

Why? Because I wouldn't get my fat ass off the couch when I was eight to go to lessons.

This is uncalled for. The most common reasons are socio-economic, not laziness. Maybe OP's family didn't have the means or access to swimming lessons. OP is providing lessons for her own children. Good for her/him.

+1. People can be so dense sometimes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Swim team is more fun than lessons and will teach your kids quickly and for less money. Sign up next year!

I would do this but for the meets. They're all over (long drives sometimes), and long.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Actually, it's extremely hard for certain adults to learn to swim. My mother did not learn to swim as a child and she tried many different times, with many different instructors, as an adult, and was just not able to learn. As a result, she made sure that all of her kids became good, strong swimmers, because she knew she could never save us. We also never swam unless a life guard was present.

Thank you for this. I had already decided to stop defending the fact that I don't know how to swim (no oceans for me!) but the fact is that so far I have failed 3 sets of classes as an adult. It's true that I haven't taken any classes in a while, but at this point my focus is on getting my kids where they need to be. It's funny that the oldest is now encouraging me to take lessons and I might just do it in a year or two with them or solo but there is no time or money at the present moment for other-than-kid-swim-lessons. I think I need private lessons and that can't happen right now. I asked my husband to teach me once, and we almost got divorced that day.