I think it's most important that he enjoy being in the water and not at all important that everything be a competition. So I would not force being on a swim team.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh god, have you seen parent swim team culture? It is the worst. Lots of SAHMs with too much time on their hands inventing "necessary" volunteer tasks like making dumbass gift bags and pressuring other moms to volunteer. You have to set out chairs, time races, etc. if he does not want to do it, let it go. Plus at ten, most of the kids will have been doing it a couple years and he might be the odd guy out.

Sign him up for more lessons, though. Give him the option between group or private. He needs to be able to swim better than that.

What? It’s always been an all volunteer thing and you have to do your part. It’s not just sahp. This kid cannot swim so it’s silly.

do your part? timing races, sure. putting together stupid gift bags and organizing overly elaborate "banquets"? no. not necessary.

Yes, it is. You are lazy and selfish.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh god, have you seen parent swim team culture? It is the worst. Lots of SAHMs with too much time on their hands inventing "necessary" volunteer tasks like making dumbass gift bags and pressuring other moms to volunteer. You have to set out chairs, time races, etc. if he does not want to do it, let it go. Plus at ten, most of the kids will have been doing it a couple years and he might be the odd guy out.

Sign him up for more lessons, though. Give him the option between group or private. He needs to be able to swim better than that.

What? It’s always been an all volunteer thing and you have to do your part. It’s not just sahp. This kid cannot swim so it’s silly.

do your part? timing races, sure. putting together stupid gift bags and organizing overly elaborate "banquets"? no. not necessary.

Op here. Sports is his weakness due to his low muscle tone. Swimming is not his only exercise, and he also does summer kayaking, spring/fall soccer, spring/fall/winter basketball and full year indoor rock climbing. He is the type that enjoys taking lessons in group and he never practices for a second outside of his lesson time. He just takes any sports for fun. All of his free time are screentime, boardgame, chess or reading. His academic is all As on report card, and he also never spends a minute to study. His life is just playing and having fun. I feel like working hard is so tough to him, and I worry what he will become because he does not like to take challenges or working hard.

Anonymous wrote:Depends on the pool and team. If there are other beginners I’d at least have him try a few practices. If it’s a team in a higher division I would not push him. Kids who are below their peers in swim ability struggle on teams where kids are all better swimmers. Summer tranas are just that, teams, not lesson programs. Yes kids improve but only so much can be done on big teams in a short season.

There are few beginners and he’d have to be on pre team and not team if he cannot swim legally. This is silly.

Anonymous wrote:Oh god, have you seen parent swim team culture? It is the worst. Lots of SAHMs with too much time on their hands inventing "necessary" volunteer tasks like making dumbass gift bags and pressuring other moms to volunteer. You have to set out chairs, time races, etc. if he does not want to do it, let it go. Plus at ten, most of the kids will have been doing it a couple years and he might be the odd guy out.

Sign him up for more lessons, though. Give him the option between group or private. He needs to be able to swim better than that.

What? It’s always been an all volunteer thing and you have to do your part. It’s not just sahp. This kid cannot swim so it’s silly.

It's hard to join at 10 actually. If he can't swim a legal lap in freestyle some teams won't take him. 9-10s swim 50 of freestyle and 25 of everything else. If he likes swimming and playing in the water, just let him be.

I would make him do it for one season yes. It will improve his skill at swimming plus the social aspect of knowing other kids at pool. I would tell him it’s just for one yea though after that it’s his choice.
I would maybe consider telling him though if he doesn’t complain about going Mon-Thurs for practice he can have Fridays off… or something.

We tried summer swim team once in our neighborhood and while everyone on the team (coaches, kids and volunteer parents) was perfectly nice... no one in the family enjoyed it. It was so boring. I don't get the appeal of swimming up and down a lane, to be honest, and neither did my kids. We enjoy the pool recreationally, and both have basic swimming skills. That'll have to do.

My kids did ballet, gym, and horseback-riding instead.

Depends on the pool and team. If there are other beginners I’d at least have him try a few practices. If it’s a team in a higher division I would not push him. Kids who are below their peers in swim ability struggle on teams where kids are all better swimmers. Summer tranas are just that, teams, not lesson programs. Yes kids improve but only so much can be done on big teams in a short season.

Oh god, have you seen parent swim team culture? It is the worst. Lots of SAHMs with too much time on their hands inventing "necessary" volunteer tasks like making dumbass gift bags and pressuring other moms to volunteer. You have to set out chairs, time races, etc. if he does not want to do it, let it go. Plus at ten, most of the kids will have been doing it a couple years and he might be the odd guy out.

Sign him up for more lessons, though. Give him the option between group or private. He needs to be able to swim better than that.

Yes, you should push it. Kids need regular exercise and hanging out in a pool is not enough.

She needs to be able to swim a 25 or 50 at that age. It will not be fun for him.

I would not force him. Summer swim should be fun. Maybe talk to the coach? Is there a lane for kids who might want a break from the laps? There will be some swim team kids who are intense and fast - even at age 8-9 - but it’s ok if your kid not as into the workouts. Nothing wrong with not doing swim team.

Please advise! DC has been taking group lessons on & off for a few years, and 1 year of private swim like 1x/week. His level is he can float and swim lap slowly for great form of backstroke and not a legal form of freestyle. He does not want to do tryout for swim team because he says it is hard and he does not like to swim laps. I think he can make it to the summer swim team last from late May to mid July. He loves to take swim lessons in group and in private. He loves to go to outdoor pool in summer. He just does not like to practice his forms.

Should I push him or not for summer swim team or just let him be? He will go to day camp in summer. He is going to be 10 soon. He won't die in a pool.