Does the Red Cross still offer swim classes ? My kids learned to swim in 6 weeks through the Red Cross. Now they are both Lifeguard certified.

Anonymous wrote:You can fill the bathtub and have him put his head under water

Seriously considered this though he's longer than our little tub. If only it didn't seem like water boarding him, and were more social.

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for responding. Though I'm sure well meaning, suggestions on spending more time at pools are a big turn off. Partner and I have zippy interest in spending more time some place neither of enjoy is a huge turn off. 5 lessons will achieve our goals of getting DC to put head in water, but now I'm more reluctant to pay for a class and maybe do it ourselves to avoid all the upselling.

If you find even being near a pool a "huge turn off" how will you teach him yourself?

Give him the 5 weeks of lessons and spend enough time at a public pool to help him feel comfortable. It's not supposed to turn you on.

If your child can't put his head under the water at 7, you are already hugely behind. You are setting him up for a permanent and rightful fear of water. My in-laws did this to my husband, and I consider it abusive.

My DS has never done more than one 6 week session a year. He is 10 and can swim well now. He does get a lot of time in the pool though to practice in the summer.

You can fill the bathtub and have him put his head under water

Thanks for responding. Though I'm sure well meaning, suggestions on spending more time at pools are a big turn off. Partner and I have zippy interest in spending more time some place neither of enjoy is a huge turn off. 5 lessons will achieve our goals of getting DC to put head in water, but now I'm more reluctant to pay for a class and maybe do it ourselves to avoid all the upselling.

Anonymous wrote:Do you think 5 lesson might make a kid more over-confident such that DC would take risks that would not have been taken otherwise?

No way. And pools here (I'm in VA) have to have lifeguards. So all HOA pools and public pools have life guards.

Do you think 5 lesson might make a kid more over-confident such that DC would take risks that would not have been taken otherwise?

I would -
For a 7 YO they may be invited to pool parties, swimming with a friend wind up at a camp with a pool.

I think it is a good strategy for your child to have lessons and a healthy understanding of swimming and pool safety.

They have lots of public pools. To get your DC to be a good swimmer, you'll have to take him a few times. Maybe your friends live in an HOA with a pool you could go to? The beach is a little more scary to swim in, but fun to splash around.

One 5 week course should be sufficient for a 7 year old. They're able to understand and reason a lot more at that age, so should be quicker.

I'm in NoVA. We would not qualify as low income, and more than one session this summer is not an option. Would taking a single class be a complete huge waste of money, if DC's next possible class wouldn't be until next year at the earliest?

MoCo classes are really cheap. They have low income waivers if you cannot afford classes

Try DPR swim classes - they are very affordable

Considering putting 7yo dc in swim class to at least get him to put head under water. We can afford to send him to one 5 week class. Is it worth it if our family won't see a pool or beach this summer or next? Certainly 1 class won't make him a swimmer, maybe not even a floater. Husband and I can swim but pool and beach have never been a draw for us. I lived in a place with pool for a decade and went maybe twice.