Reply to can you force swim lessons?

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[quote=Anonymous]Find a pool where he can reach the ground. Ideally, it’s shallow enough so that he can stand with his head above the water, but deep enough to be submerged to his chest or shoulders. I equate time spent in shallow pools to time spent on a balance bike. Your objective is to get them comfortable being in a horizontal position, and swimming underwater with the security of being able to stand up, just like your objective for a balance bike is for  kids to attain the ability to balance with the security of being able to stop and not fall.

I didn’t use floaters or puddle jumpers for either of my kids and we spent a lot of time in 2.5-3 ft pools. The main one we used was actually an oversized lukewarm “hot tub” adjacent to the big pool. They would swim under water and dive because they felt secure. Once I felt confident they could swim to the edge of the pool, we spent more time in deeper water with pool noodles. The problem with floaties is their biggest attribute - they keep kids vertical and not drowning. But kids need to be horizontal in order to learn how to swim. And they have to be comfortable in a horizontal position, not panicking for a flotation device. You have to ditch the floaties.

My kids are now club swimmers and their love for the water started with all those pool days. It sounds like your son loves the water as well, and I think, at the age of 4, without special needs to consider, it’s good parenting to push and make sure he is water safe, as well as unlocking more enjoyment from actual swimming. 
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