Did Floaties give your child a false sense of water security and swim ability?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS 6yo is in lessons but overly confident and has a peculiar ability to keep on trucking after inhaling water. He has not been the type to take a second, cough, sputter and then slow down a bit but he is somehow able to persevere. The teacher and I have been trying our darnedest to remind him to hold his breath and it is his core struggle along with wanting to invent his own strokes and swim positions. He has no fear of the water and wants to be in the deep end but it’s a bit frightening (and encouraging that he will once he is learning, enjoy swimming).

I’m considering the purchase of floaties and the vested sort seem to have an attachment at the middle.

However, there’s mixed feedback online as to the use of floaties and dangers surrounding them.

No floaties. It’s not safe. Swim lessons and supervision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. I may have been unclear, the floaters in my thought were to help get him properly floating to get a feel for his positioning. To feel what it’s like to actually try real strokes. He isn’t floating yet. I believe it’s the holding breath to stay up that’s causing it. When he’s on the noodle he is floating but to get the feeling for longer. I assumed these were better. But also cautious that he may assume he can float without them. With his lack of fear, that part scared me and his interest in the deep end.

We moved from group lessons to 1:1 lessons as he has a very high energy level and as mentioned, wants to try his own swim strokes/positions that are not the ones being taught. So there’s trying to align him to actual swimming not necessarily the creative interpretation.

I was thinking floaters would give his instructor and/or I the chance to have him floating longer than on the noodle and work on the breath control.

With the inhaling/breathing - he can take a deep breath but he lets the breath out before we goes under. Then he goes under and she will say did you inhale the water and say “cough cough”, he sometimes will sputter a cough then dive right back under but the breath holding and letting it out and these sputters make us believe he’s not holding the breath. Take the bobs for instance - he inhales, full mouth protrudes out, then he will let that air out so fast then dip under and he’s back up and blows out nose then dips again. It happens so fast that we aren’t sure but suspecting he is but he also has no reaction like we do to inhaling water where you need a moment to collect yourself and cough for longer. There’s the occasional sputter but the same inhale lets it go in that exact moment then dips.

I posted earlier and maintain that using a float device is not recommended, you are going to prolong his growth and learning opportunity here. I have been a swimmer all my life, my kids are year-round swimmers and I have taught lessons. You can work on breath work without the float, have patience and keep up with the lessons. Good luck!

This. His positioning will also not improve. You can’t swim with floaters on. I have put all three of my kids in swim lessons by/before 18 months because older kids can be harder to teach (they are more aware and want to do more) but what makes them hard to teach makes the water very dangerous for them. He needs patience. Start with learning to tread water. My two year old saved her own life in a pool because she knew how to tread water and swim to the side. That will be better for him than floaters.

[Anonymous]

Did your private swim instructor ask you to get a float? Stop coming up with ideas you think will “help” - you’re not a certified instructor and have no idea what you are talking about. Butt out and let the swim instructor handle it. The kid needs a freaking kickboard, not floaties. It sounds like he’s not read for strokes yet even.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. I may have been unclear, the floaters in my thought were to help get him properly floating to get a feel for his positioning. To feel what it’s like to actually try real strokes. He isn’t floating yet. I believe it’s the holding breath to stay up that’s causing it. When he’s on the noodle he is floating but to get the feeling for longer. I assumed these were better. But also cautious that he may assume he can float without them. With his lack of fear, that part scared me and his interest in the deep end.

We moved from group lessons to 1:1 lessons as he has a very high energy level and as mentioned, wants to try his own swim strokes/positions that are not the ones being taught. So there’s trying to align him to actual swimming not necessarily the creative interpretation.

I was thinking floaters would give his instructor and/or I the chance to have him floating longer than on the noodle and work on the breath control.

With the inhaling/breathing - he can take a deep breath but he lets the breath out before we goes under. Then he goes under and she will say did you inhale the water and say “cough cough”, he sometimes will sputter a cough then dive right back under but the breath holding and letting it out and these sputters make us believe he’s not holding the breath. Take the bobs for instance - he inhales, full mouth protrudes out, then he will let that air out so fast then dip under and he’s back up and blows out nose then dips again. It happens so fast that we aren’t sure but suspecting he is but he also has no reaction like we do to inhaling water where you need a moment to collect yourself and cough for longer. There’s the occasional sputter but the same inhale lets it go in that exact moment then dips.

Who is us? Are you concerned or is the swim teacher concerned?

This doesn’t sound like he is inhaling water. Which is good.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand why you want to give a child who ALREADY HAS a false sense of security something that will ADD TO THAT? That doesn't make any sense, OP. Your child will figure it out the first time he goes underwater and can't come up by himself. Let him have that moment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. I may have been unclear, the floaters in my thought were to help get him properly floating to get a feel for his positioning. To feel what it’s like to actually try real strokes. He isn’t floating yet. I believe it’s the holding breath to stay up that’s causing it. When he’s on the noodle he is floating but to get the feeling for longer. I assumed these were better. But also cautious that he may assume he can float without them. With his lack of fear, that part scared me and his interest in the deep end.

We moved from group lessons to 1:1 lessons as he has a very high energy level and as mentioned, wants to try his own swim strokes/positions that are not the ones being taught. So there’s trying to align him to actual swimming not necessarily the creative interpretation.

I was thinking floaters would give his instructor and/or I the chance to have him floating longer than on the noodle and work on the breath control.

With the inhaling/breathing - he can take a deep breath but he lets the breath out before we goes under. Then he goes under and she will say did you inhale the water and say “cough cough”, he sometimes will sputter a cough then dive right back under but the breath holding and letting it out and these sputters make us believe he’s not holding the breath. Take the bobs for instance - he inhales, full mouth protrudes out, then he will let that air out so fast then dip under and he’s back up and blows out nose then dips again. It happens so fast that we aren’t sure but suspecting he is but he also has no reaction like we do to inhaling water where you need a moment to collect yourself and cough for longer. There’s the occasional sputter but the same inhale lets it go in that exact moment then dips.

I assume you are treating his ASD?

[Anonymous]

My son at age 6 was doing similarly (confident, not phased by water, struggled with bad swim posture) and his instructors gave him the floaty belt thing. I was not happy with that and think he did better with the paddle board to learn proper kicking. He really only learned to swim once we switched him to a place that uses no aids. All in all it took over a year of lessons and practice, so just be patience. And be vigilant in the meantime!

Btw at over a year into lessons, I mean he can kick/dog paddle himself across the pool reliably and up and down the pool. Actual breaststroke and back glides will require more lessons and practice to work on form.

[Anonymous]

I understand what you mean about positioning, but I think it’s better to tell him on his back to look at the ceiling. Or put your hand under his center and push him up to keep him in position so he can get a sense. For bubble breathing, an easy way to practice is in the bath. My son kept whipping or slamming his head around and despite my telling him to do it calmly just didn’t get it until we practiced during bath time.