Hi there! I hope you are having a great week! As fun as last was with the 4th of July, it does feel good to get back into a groove. This week my youngest has Safety Town and my older kids are doing their usual swim team practices. It is really hard to believe that my nine year old is on the community Swim Team. A couple of years ago if you would have asked me if he liked to swim I would have strongly said NO!  Starting at an early age, my middle did NOT like to get his face wet. He has come a long way in the last few years! Today, I wanted to share a few things that seemed to help get my reluctant swimmer to love the water!
Have Patience
There are few things harder to watch as a parent than to see your child work through a challenge. There were times that I even felt frustrated that my son was refusing to get in the water. But, I had to realize that the water was a true fear for him and I needed to readjust my expectations. Most kids eventually work through their fears and anxieties but it might not be at the pace that we, as parents, want them to.
Celebrate Baby Steps
When my son was working through his water fear, one of his first successes was not minding taking baths or showers! We started with him wearing goggles, because his real fear was getting water in his eyes. As he developed more confidence with water at home, he also became more confident in the pool!
Shop Around to Find Good Swim Instruction
Every child is so unique and responds to instruction differently. So it is important to find the right swim program for your reluctant swimmer! I tried a few different programs both group lessons and individual lessons. The program that worked best for my son was Goldfish Swim School. If you have been following me for while, you have heard me talk about how much we love Goldfish Swim School. There has been no other swim program out there that has worked so well for my kids!
My two youngest kids both have taken lessons at Goldfish for over a year and I can only say good things about the Goldfish Swim Program. The skills my boys learned were more complex than any other program we tried. I am amazed at how in depth they teach every stroke.
I love that the lessons are offered continually, so the kids can start lessons at any time of the year! Instructors and the right swim program can make all the difference in getting your child to love the water!
Offer Small Incentives for Reaching Milestones
Sometimes it is the little things that helps kids work through their fears. I allow each of the boys to pick out a small $5 treat once they pass a swim level. This reward goes along way for my boys. Find whatever motivates your child and offer a small incentive to give them the extra push to conquer their fears!
Make Sure They Have the Right Equipment
My kids have a “thing” with goggles. I have gone through so many different pairs to find the right ones! I have to say that Goldfish Swim sells our favorite brand of goggles! All three of my kids LOVE these A3 Performance goggles.
The goggles are a perfect fit and don’t require the endless adjustments that we deal with when using other brands.
Don’t Give Up
There are times you wonder if your child will ever develop a particular skill or master a developmental stage. The reality is that most kids will eventually get there! I had to remind myself to stay positive and act as a cheerleader for my son. Swimming is such an essential, life saving skill, therefore, I was not willing to give up on my reluctant swimmer!
Now, I can happily say that my son LOVES to swim! He has shown so much growth and development over the past year. His hard work is paying off and he is doing great on his swim team.
Thank you so much to Goldfish Swim School for partnering with me. As always, I will only share products and services that I stand behind.
Goldfish Swim School Details:
Lessons available for children ages four months-12 years old
Water temperature maintained at 90 degrees
School amenities include showers (provided with shampoo), hair dryers and private changing rooms
Jumpstart Clinics are five consecutive days of swim lessons!
Weekly Classes available year round!
Goldfish Swim Schools are currently located in 23 states across the U.S.
Click HERE to see if there is a location in your area!
love these tips- all so true! We are working on getting our little one more comfortable in the water!
Aww what a cutie! These are such great tips, great for any age!
I actually read this because for some reason over the years I developed a fear of the water..for no reason! I used to swim like a fish as a kid. I grew up with a pool and a boat. But as an adult, fear! So I will use this for myself LOL
I feel for you as there are some things fears that I have developed over the years that were not things that gave me anxiety when I was younger. Give yourself grace and be patient with working through your fears!
Great tips! It took me the longest to get my oldest to get in the water and now I can’t get her out.
Yes same here! It is amazing how much kids grow and develop!
Great tips! My little ones love the water and are currently enrolled in goldfish! My son loves every second of it. It’s a great place.
It really is a great place. Such a happy and fun place to swim!
This is such a helpful post! I haven’t attempted lessons for my terrified 6 year old yet because I am so worried that I will sign him up and he will completely refuse to get in the water once there. I think I need to go ahead and give it a shot…. I’ll never know if I don’t try!