6 Tips for Back-to-Pool Season

By Joanna Nesbit

When my daughter, Leah, was six, I signed her up for a month’s worth of swim lessons, every day for half an hour. What I didn’t account for in all my scheduling and preparation was my daughter’s simple, stubborn refusal to get into the pool most days.

Swim lessons often feel non-negotiable to parents because we care about our children’s safety. And there’s that pesky idea that because all our friends’ kids love swimming, ours should too. Not all kids do.

Try these tips to help build kids’ water confidence when lessons begin:

1. Prepare your child. Describe what your child can expect swim lessons to be like (check the pool’s Web site or talk with instructors in advance). Dana Percival, General Manager at Sea Otter Swim Lessons in Loomis, advises parents to acknowledge their children's fear, but stay positive and supportive. “You can say things like, ‘When you go swimming, you'll have so much fun with your teacher!’ or ‘I will be cheering you on.’”

2. Avoid hovering. Allow your child to interact with the instructor without distracting him or her (but don’t force separation). The instructors at Sea Otter Swim Lessons recommend you walk your child to the teacher then find a seat where your child can see you.

3. Give it time. “Generally, after about three classes, kids start to become accustomed to the water and their new instructor, and they should start to come around,” says Kaleb Wallen, General Manager of Steve Wallen Swim School in El Dorado Hills and an experienced instructor himself. Still, he adds sympathetically, “those first three classes can be tough on parents.”

4. Respect kids’ uniqueness. Try not to compare your child’s progress to that of siblings or classmates. Keep in mind that not all kids progress at the same rate, and it’s normal for kids to repeat lessons at the same level multiple times and then suddenly leap ahead.

5. Find the right fit. Look for lessons “with an emphasis on mastering fundamentals first,” says Christa A. Crews, Supervisor and Lead Instructor for Sierra Marlins Swim School in Folsom. With this approach, kids “are never overwhelmed with skills that are beyond their developmental ability or skill level.”
If your child isn’t progressing due to the group setting or her own fear, try private lessons. Some kids experience performance anxiety in a group setting and do better in a one-on-one scenario.

6. Keep it fun. Encourage water play at home and on vacation, and avoid lessons burnout for ages 6 and under by taking time off between sessions when needed.

Once your child gains confidence, he will be splashing across the pool with the rest of the kids.