You’re so special OP

And yes my kids are strong in the water. But you sound like you need a clap on the back.

Both my kids had the same exposure to swim lessons, same amount of time at the pool, etc. one is a strong, confident swimmer, and the other is not. He swims well enough to not drown at the pool, but he is super skinny so he doesn’t float well and he gets freaked out by deep water. He failed his latest swim test because they did in the diving well and he panicked.

Some people are not inclined to be swimmers.

I grew up in the pnw and summers are just not warm so going to the pool wasn’t a thing we did. I took swim lessons in the summer at an indoor pool. But now we live here and it’s hot as hell. I’ve taken my kid who is now 6 to the pool as much as possible since she was about 2 because it’s a way to cool down and it’s cheap entertainment. Turns out she loves the water and has basically taught herself to swim. Haven't done formal classes with her. It’s all been exposure. But I hope it’s a great part of childhood since it’s something I never had!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh and not all parents know how to swim either...

That's dangerous. It is a life skill that is necessary for everyone to learn.

Our pool makes kids pass a deep end test but not adults. The absolute buggery! Yes, I know most adults would say F you but the test is 50 yds swim plus 1 min treading with chin above the water line. If you think all adults in the pool can do that, you would be mistaken.

Anonymous wrote:Oh and not all parents know how to swim either...

That's dangerous. It is a life skill that is necessary for everyone to learn.

Yes, I’ve noticed this too. I had good swimmers by 4-5, but friends definitely did not. It’s because it requires a parent swimming with them for a long time. Your kid isn’t going to swim by 5 by doing once per week swim lessons. They need to be taking lessons, plus having their parent swimming with them an additional couple times per week, year round. Most parents just don’t want to get into the pool, even if they can swim themselves. I know I didn’t. But I did it because I know it was beneficial for my kids.

Anonymous wrote: Mine are 5 & 7, and can both dive and swim across the pool and granted I swam year round for 10 years but no one else I know with kids similar ages can do this yet. And pools are so shallow! Our country club does has a deep end with diving boards (as did mine in the 90s) but are kids just more wary of water now? I feel like it’s not only a safety thing knowing how to swim well…. But it’s also summer fun! You used to get teased if you couldn’t dive by the time you were 7 or 8.

I’m not understanding this. Are you saying your kids are not as adept at swimming than you were? Or are you talking about other kids? What pools are so shallow? And they have write on the side how deep the pools are. Find a deeper pool if you have a problem with shallow pools.

My kids got behind during Covid and then were embarrassed to be older. One’s finally caught up, but the other never did. He had special needs and other therapies are more urgent.

Aside from the comments about $ and region: most kids that age are in daycare/summer day camp programs etc (many of which will not have regular access to a pool during that time). Most families have both parents working FT and may not have the ability to spend a lot of time at the pool, even during the summer. When I was that age, more of us were cared for by family members or used more casual babysitting arrangements (and often spent a lot of time at the public or neighborhood pool during the day). My grandmother provided summer care of us and took us to the pool a lot. As a teen, I babysat every summer and took the kids to the pool a lot. My own kids are in daycare or summer camps during the day.

Anonymous wrote:Most 5 and 7 year olds that we know are able to do those things- but we live in a warm weather area where many have pools in the backyard (and where people have the $ to pay for early swim instruction).

In my working class midwestern hometown, most 5 year olds would be in beginner level swim lessons. Most families only do lessons in the summertime. Some 7 year olds would be able to do those things definitely but not all.

I think it would depend a lot on socioeconomic status & also region of the country. I think parents in areas with a lot of water or backyard pools would tend to focus swim skills earlier.

+1 I lived in an area with a lot of backyard and apartment pools and also the beach very close by. Even if you didn't have lots of money, you learned basic swimming skills very early on as a matter of safety because everyone heard horror stories about someone who drowned or nearly drowned. I think that is less common in other parts of the country.

Anonymous wrote: Mine are 5 & 7, and can both dive and swim across the pool and granted I swam year round for 10 years but no one else I know with kids similar ages can do this yet. And pools are so shallow! Our country club does has a deep end with diving boards (as did mine in the 90s) but are kids just more wary of water now? I feel like it’s not only a safety thing knowing how to swim well…. But it’s also summer fun! You used to get teased if you couldn’t dive by the time you were 7 or 8.

Are they legal in all four strokes?

They need to be in swim classes and swim a few times a week.

Most 5 and 7 year olds that we know are able to do those things- but we live in a warm weather area where many have pools in the backyard (and where people have the $ to pay for early swim instruction).

In my working class midwestern hometown, most 5 year olds would be in beginner level swim lessons. Most families only do lessons in the summertime. Some 7 year olds would be able to do those things definitely but not all.

I think it would depend a lot on socioeconomic status & also region of the country. I think parents in areas with a lot of water or backyard pools would tend to focus swim skills earlier.

Anonymous wrote:The bajillions of kids doing summer swim team would beg to differ...

+100

I think NVSL and MCSL are two of the largest summer swim leagues in the country. Not sure where OP is living but swimming is huge here - lots of kids start swim team the summer before kindergarten (my own included).

You sound braggy.
My kid could swim across the pool and kinda dive at 5 as well. But I love the water and wanted her too as well.
She did club swim from 8-11 then decided she didn’t want to anymore. Thats ok.

I do think all kids should learn to swim, at least to stay afloat and get to the side. 5 is probably on the young side though.