Infant rescue swim classes?

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Melt In The Sun

Melt In The Sun

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Oct 29, 2009
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Tucson, AZ
Has anyone done this? Our boy is 20 months and my wife is really wanting to put him in them. I am sitting here watching the instructor and other kids right now, and it looks like they are taught to float and breathe, then flip over and swim to the side/steps.

Anyone put their kids in this, or tried to teach them yourself? How'd it work out?
 
I never put my kids in swim classes but I always tried to teach them to doggie paddle and float while we played in the pool when they were younger. They are both great swimmers now. I think every child should know how to swim! It could save their life someday.
 
Melt In The Sun said:
I am sitting here watching the instructor and other kids right now, and it looks like they are taught to float and breathe, then flip over and swim to the side/steps.
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We have friends that have twin boys. When they were about that age, they both went to swim classes. I went to one of the sessions on the day they were practicing the float, breathe, then flip over and swim to the side/steps. Since they are growing up in a house with a pool, I think it is a great idea for them to learn how to swim, whether it's in a formal class or self-taught by a friend or family member. It may save their life one day.

I also learned to swim as a toddler at a time where learning how to do so at that age was the exception to the rule. In fact, I cannot remember ever not knowing how to swim. I've always felt as comfortable in the water as Miss Kitty in Marshal Dillon's arms. Oops...Did I just give away a clue to my age??? :eek:
 
If allowed kids that grow up around a pool learn to swim early, by the time my son was 2 he was swimming on his own around the pool, and by the time he was 3 he was swimming like a fish. He is 25 now and still has to endure hearing the story of when he went to Disney World with his grandparents when he was 3, (I was not there, but have heard the story enough times too...) They had just checked into the hotel changed into their bathing suits and were heading to the pool when he ran off ahead of them and running at full speed jumped into the deep end of the pool, about half the people around the pool got up to jump in and "save" him when he popped up and swam to the ladder to climb out so he could jump in again.
 
This works, my friends six month old baby can turn her self over and float on her back fully clothed until help arrives.... Its amazing... As she gets older, they will teach her to roll over to breath and swim to the side, she should be doing that my 10-12 months old... Youtube it, its amazing to watch.... I looked at getting certification so I could teach it but the course is $10,000 :-(
 
Yeah we say a couple babies when we went to observe. There's a lot of hacking, swallowing water, and screaming, but that's OK. Life is tough. It's better than dying. We saw some toddlers who could do the float to breathe, flip to swim thing.

He starts Monday, so I can update as it goes. He's going to hate it...
 
In MN, they've actually introduced a bill: "Requiring the commissioner of education to include aquatics instruction in
physical education standards for kindergarten through grade 12; specifying
requirements
(rt)"
Not sure if it will ever get through more than a reading and introduction but I do agree, learning to swim can save your life some day.
 
Yes, completely worth it. Our daughter took it at 2 years old. She's 4 now and can swim the length of a 40 foot pool by alternating swimming and floating on her back when she needs rest. Wouldn't even second guess signing up if you have a pool.
 
melt please keep us posted indeed. My 7.5 month old son got introduced to the pool this month and loves the water. We are going to teach what we can while its swimming weather here in phoenix and when it gets colder possibly put him in one of those classes
 

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He had his first lesson yesterday. They really don't take it easy on them! He was crying before it even started, and the first thing was to show him where the ledge was so he could grab it and hold himself up. Then, under he went...and it was kind of amazing how quickly he got the idea that getting over to the ledge was the right thing to do. Then he came up and screamed, the teacher waited for him to take a big breath, and plumk...under again, and again, and again. One day down...
 
Don't forget to use your bath tub as a place for the kids getting used to having water in their face. My wife teaches swimming and most of the kids that cry have not been exposed to a lot of water being splashed on the face. The tub is also a nice place to practice their learned skills during the winter.
 
Wife says he has either an aversion to going on his back or he has stranger anxiety. She said to make sure to keep going and he will overcome it.

The worst cases, about one per year, take about 2 weeks, 5 lessons a week, to overcome the crying. I'm guessing those kids have multiple fears to overcome. Most of the kids do great within a week.
 
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No lessons yesterday or today...green pool at the instructor's house :hammer:

Sand filter with broken laterals, so no circulation for who knows how long. I told her several days ago to dump in some bleach and stir...guess she didn't listen.
 
Well, we're almost half done with the 6 week class and I'd say he is about half-capable of not drowning. He swims face-down just fine, but refuses to flip over and float so far. All he wants to do in the pool now is swim back and forth between me and mom, and he's also not at all scared to dunk down in the water to pick up a toy that's at his feet (on the 2' deep shelf). So, we're getting there!
 

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