If this was a private Catholic school forcing girls to wear tampons and be out of their comfort zone, I think the responses would be vastly different. I just read a Reddit thread about it and the difference in opinions because it’s a Catholic school are wild

I am not sure if it’s an option, but if we took PE over the summer, then we avoided the swim unit.

Anonymous wrote:This unit is horrifying to young girls. It is unaccptable to force this unit on students in this day and age. Some girls dont feel comfortable going swimming on their period. Thus unit causes extreme anxiety in many students. How many adults would be willing to swim among coworkers daily at work? Then have a 10 minute change session and get back to work. Im a gen X mom and I believe in suck it up but come on.

This. I would jump at the chance for an excuse note. If you don't have a good bathing suit that is minimizing, you can feel like a walking hormone. Nowadays clothing oversexualizes girls. I see girls in lacrosse shorts and running shorts that are like underwear, yet the boys wear shorts below their knees. Why do we impose these pressures on girls? So creepy and cringeworthy.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Holy zombie thread! We ended up getting the note, she was happy, and she hasn’t asked to get out of a single stressful school requirement since.

She’s now almost 16, and has completely done a 180 with body positivity. Now the struggle is to make sure the shorts are long enough and the tops have enough coverage to meet dress code! The modest speedo for summer have been replaced with bikinis!

You sound like a great mom! Best to your daughter.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is why everyone should have their kids on a swim team from a young age so they get comfortable being around their peers in swimsuits.

My DD was on swim team starting at age 6 and extremely comfortable in a swimsuit, and then puberty hit at 12 and everything changed really quickly. Some kids have a lot of body anxiety at this age.

DP. My daughter has also been a swimmer since age 6. Yes, puberty came along with some body anxiety. But guess what! She got through it. She also has long textured hair, and has learned how to deal with that as well.

I don’t think OP is doing her kid any favors with this coddling. Virtually every girl has some body insecurities. Avoiding learning how to navigate uncomfortable situations will only make it worse.

I wish swimming was mandatory starting in elementary schools. In Japan, it pretty much is, and even schools in poorer areas have a pool where the kids learn every year.

OP here. Holy zombie thread! We ended up getting the note, she was happy, and she hasn’t asked to get out of a single stressful school requirement since.

She’s now almost 16, and has completely done a 180 with body positivity. Now the struggle is to make sure the shorts are long enough and the tops have enough coverage to meet dress code! The modest speedo for summer have been replaced with bikinis!

Anonymous wrote:This is why everyone should have their kids on a swim team from a young age so they get comfortable being around their peers in swimsuits.

My DD was on swim team starting at age 6 and extremely comfortable in a swimsuit, and then puberty hit at 12 and everything changed really quickly. Some kids have a lot of body anxiety at this age.

This is why everyone should have their kids on a swim team from a young age so they get comfortable being around their peers in swimsuits.

Gen X Mom here. I got excused swim for my 9th grader. Absolutely allow your kiddo to participate in this on their own terms. Can she swim, know how to swim from summer experiences? That is what matters.

This unit is horrifying to young girls. It is unaccptable to force this unit on students in this day and age. Some girls dont feel comfortable going swimming on their period. Thus unit causes extreme anxiety in many students. How many adults would be willing to swim among coworkers daily at work? Then have a 10 minute change session and get back to work. Im a gen X mom and I believe in suck it up but come on.

I had required swimming as a tween/teen in High School in NYS. It was awful. You had to wear a school issued bathing suit that was color coded for size - tanks for girls, speedos for boys. Everyone was traumatized.

If I had a daughter who did not want to participate, I would do what was needed to avoid PE swimming.

Where is this school.

I am honestly a little horrified that a middle school is doing this. It’s literally the absolute worst time. Teach them in 3rd grade or in high school, but whoever thought this program up (almost certainly a man) needs to really rethink the whole plan.

My parents were about as strict and school-rules-following as you could get, but they gave me a note in 6th grade so I didn’t need to do the stupid scoliosis check with all my classmates.
To this day I appreciate that they took my anxiety seriously.

Mother of a curly haired child with large breasts in 8th grade I don't think I would do this. I would help her with swim cap and appropriate bathing suit to make her feel confident.

This is tough OP - I don't think there is a wrong way to handle, you know your child best.

As a woman with curly hair who was a double D by age 10, I would 100% do this for my child. Ignore the haters with their pin-straight hair - they don't understand the challenge