Thank you to Big Blue Swim School for sponsoring this post. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
I think we can all agree that swim lessons are extremely important, and possibly even life-saving, for our children. But what happens when you show up to that first day of lessons, and it’s all screams and tears from the kiddos? Let me be the first to say that I’ve been there. And not even just on the very first lesson. Sometimes swim lessons are a child’s first activity without their primary caregiver. On top of that, many kids have never been in a body of water bigger than the bath tub. It makes sense that some kids might be hesitant before diving in. But I know it can be super stressful as a parent to have your child be “the one” that’s flailing their body and screaming their lungs out. So here are a few tips and tricks that I’ve learned along the way to ease those pre-swim jitters for kids of all ages.
CASUALLY START THE CONVERSATION BEFORE YOU GO.
Obviously, you have to speak to the age of your own child, but for this post, let’s assume the child is somewhere between ages 2.5-5 years old. Even during bath time, you can start the conversation about swim lessons. Ask your child to “practice swimming” in the bath tub. Let them know that if they think bath time is fun, “just wait until they get to go in the big pool!”. Or when you’re driving past the beach or ocean casually say, “When you learn how to swim we get to go splash at the beach!”. It’s similar to going to the doctor. If you make swim lessons a part of casual conversation, it doesn’t sound like such a big deal when it comes time to actually do it. You can even make it sound fun (because it is), and you can pump it up so your child is excited.
LET YOUR CHILD BE A PART OF THE BATHING SUIT AND GOGGLE PROCESS.
Choosing a bathing suit, towel and goggles are a fun way to get your child involved in the “getting ready” process. This is fun for a kid of any age (and grown ups too). From personal experience, there is nothing that gets a swim kids more excited than a new pair of cool goggles. We have at least 10 pairs for 2 kids. Pre-swim lessons is a great time to splurge for a new, special pair. It’s just another simple way to pump up the swim lesson experience and to make it special for the swimmer.
DO A WALK THROUGH BEFORE THE FIRST LESSON OR GO SUPER EARLY ON THE FIRST DAY. (OR BOTH).
If you can, do a walk through of one of the gorgeous Big Blue Swim School facilities across the country on a day before you’re scheduled to swim. Big Blue offers a free trial lesson, so this could be a good day to do this preview as well. Show your child the changing rooms, the pool, etc. Point out other kids having fun in their own lessons and the toys that are on the side of the pool. Just do a verbal and physical walkthrough of what they can expect. It’s like a “school orientation” day. You can definitely call the front desk of the swim school ahead of time so they know to expect you as well. The friendlier and more prepared, the more comfortable the child, and the better for you as the parent.
JUST BREATHE, AND KNOW THAT THE TEARS ARE NORMAL.
First of all, all of the Big Blue staff are highly trained to handle scared swimmers and their meltdowns. It’s so hard to remember this in the moment, but tears are COMPLETELY normal. Even if your child is the only one that’s crying that day, they’re not the first to ever have a meltdown, so try to remember that in the heat of the moment (yes, you may be sweating during the tears).
At the end of the day, you may not be able to console your child before they get in the water. I highly recommend handing off your child to the well-trained Big Blue instructors to let them do their thing. Even if your child goes in with tears, more often than not, by the end of the lesson, they aren’t crying anymore. Sometimes the parent needs to go out of site of their child for them to calm down. Buyer beware, the second lesson may be harder than the first because the kids now know what to expect when they come. But I promise that by lessons 3 and 4, things will take a turn for the better. Keep coming, keep hyping up lessons beforehand and stay consistent. The gift of seeing your child learn to swim is worth it.
I hope some of these tips are helpful to you and your child when starting swim lessons. The endless smiles and hours spent in the pool, and sense of calm you will have as a parent knowing your child has this lifesaving skill, are completely worth every tantrum and hard moments you may encounter along the way.
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