Does Anyone Do Infant Swim? Any Behavor Problems Durring the Days?

We started an infant swim class with my son this week (he's 16 months old). He cried through the whole first lesson, and never seemed to enjoy it the following 2 days. We decided to stop and we are planning to take him a couple times a week to the baby pool and just let him start exploring at his own pace. I really didn't want to push and I want him to have a good experience with swimming. Good Luck with it. M.

When my daughter was 2, we started swim lessons and she cried for the first month. And then she got over it and is a great swimmer now. As far as the temper tantrums, it is said that children throw them because they are frustrated at not being able to express themselves. Try saying something like.."I understand that you want.... I understand that you don't want to...but you can not have... or you need to..." A lot of times that will be enough. If they still throw a fit, tell them that the behavior is not acceptable and send them to time out, their room ot some where else that they are not disrupting the entire house. It really works. I use it on both of my daughters (ages 5 & 9) for tantrums, attitudes, whinning,etc I've sent them to thier rooms, to the laundry room, the garage.

K.,

We had trouble with infant swim lessons too, but only in the pool. He eventually grew to like swimming, but there were (and still are) things he won't do, like float on his back.

I'm a firm believer of trusting your intuition. Maybe he has lingering water in his ears after classes. That could really irritate a little one!

Hi K.,

I did and will continue to do infant swim with my daughter. She took lessons last summer - the whole summer and yes, she did cry the first couple of weeks - this is very normal. I have talked with other moms and other instructors and this behavior is totally normal for the kids. My daughter did develop trust with the instructor and she did really well in the program. She will be doing lessons again this summer as a refresher. I think the behavioral issues are part of being "two". The swim program is new to your child and he needs to figure out what is going on. Once that trust is formed, he will do fine, and again, the crying is absolutely normal - it is harder on the moms than on anyone else, including the child.

The program is awesome - I have no regrets about enrolling my daughter and will continue to have her in swim lessons for a very long time. Arizona has too many pools that tempt children. The infant swim program is a survival course that teaches infants and young kids how to roll over, float and breathe if they were to ever fall into a pool - God forbid!!

Hang in there, the swim lessons will pay off and your little guy will be a champ.

L.

Last year I enrolled my son in the 9 day course at Hamilton Aquatic Center thru Chandler Rec Center. Anyway the first day he was fine, then the 2nd to the 9th day he was freaking out. So I brought his Stearns vest and the lifeguard checked it to make sure it was approved. She let him wear it. My son has autism, so to ensure his feeling that he won't drown, get water up his nose and all that, I've let him wear it all summer long.

If he's been acting out like this, I'd not force it on him. But this is the stage of terrible 2s and my son is 3 now and he's passed that but he still has his moments.

This year, I was going to enroll him in either Aspire or Swim Kids USA but it's too costly at about $65/month for 4 classes. My mom said she'd pay for it. But since I have another baby due in August. I decided to forgo swim lessons. Instead I researched Amazon.com for a swim lesson book for infant to age 4. I found DK Learn to Swim by Kathy and Bob McKay. It has good ratings. If you buy it on Amazon.com it's about $4.00 cheaper but then you have to buy at least $25.00 worth of books before you can get free shipping. So I researched Barnes and Noble and Borders Book Stores for availability. Barnes and Noble at Chandler Fashion Center had 3 and I bought 1 so there should be 2 left. But I'd call around in your area before driving all over the place for one.

Good Luck!

Hello,
It sounds like you are doing the infant RESCUE swim course. This really isn't a swim lesson. It is designed to teach your child to roll over and get air then get to the edge in case he falls in the pool. In my opinion, it is a very aggressive approach to something that should be fun. I totally understand that it has saved many childrens lives but it seems so harsh and tramatic to put them through it. They are teaching your baby how to rescue themselves in a CONTROLLED environment (the teacher is there to help them) but in the real world if the baby falls in the pool and panics when nobody is around chances are they are going to be in trouble. I considered this course for my 22 months old but decided to go to actual swim lessons. Teacher Lyndas swim school is really great. We have had swim lessons there since April. My daughter can roll over and swim to the edge and hand walk along the edge to get to the step. It took a awhile but she got the hang of it at her own pace and leisure. She didn't like it being in the pool without me it only took a couple lessons to figure out that I was coming back for her. I did have a friend that completed the infant rescue swimming. We saw him in July the week after he completed the course and I was amazed how he could jump in the pool, roll over and kick to the edge. We revisited him in August for another swim party and his skills weren't even close to what we saw in July. His mom had to help him roll over (he was taking far to long to do it himself). She said it was because he hadn't been in the pool in about two weeks. So I guess you have to keep them refreshed with the skills often enough to help them retain what they learned.......HOw can you do this in the winter time. Swim school lessons are indoors and year round.
Hope this helps
D.

I will be enrolling my kids in the same program, and from what I have researched, it is an excellent program. It may just be a coincidence about his behavior because he is 2, and at an age that they will start to act out if he hasn't been already. Also, it's something new for him, and he'll need time to adjust. No matter, his safety in the long-run and the skills he'll learn are the most important aspects to consider. He won't remember the number of times he cried, but he will always remember that he CAN SWIM!

Best of luck!

Could his ears be bothering him? Either way, I say hold off on paying for swim lessons for a while - kids his age don't really learn to swim anyway. It's all about water acclimation though, so keep taking him to the pool but just let him splash his feet in the water or even just sit on the side watching other kids have fun in the water. Follow his lead, but keep showing him that swimming is fun - maybe even take some bath toys with you to show him it is similar to his bath. He'll warm up to the water eventually and when he does, then try the lessons again.
-K. (former swim instructor)

I say follow your motherly instincts if you feel that he isnt ready or this is causing undo stress take him out by all means NO ONE knows your child like you .....good luck.
J.

K.,
The infant swim is an awesome thing that you are doing for your son. My daughter did it for two years. She is now 4 and is such a great swimmer. These instructors are very highly trained and they know what they are doing. God forbid if he were to ever fall in a pool with no one around, he will know what to do. He's two, he might just be testing you. If you quit, that just shows him that he is able to control what he wants and doesn't want to do even if it is something good, he just doesn't know it yet. Good luck.

I am doing infant swim and have not noticed any behavior issues. Have you talked to the instructor? Is there anything else going on at home? My son is almost done and fusses in the water during swimming lessons but not in our pool. good luck

Hi K.,
Let me just give you my two cents. I have two daughters who learned to swim in two weeks. Now, they were older. My son at the time was 1 1/2 and learned to swim as well. This was in San Diego and their technique was so loving and nurturing. The pool was heated to 90 degrees and almost every kid loved it. When we moved to Arizona later my little guy did not continue and did not improve his swimming skills. So we tried the whole swimming thing. Cried and cried. I just gave up because it seems so cruel and he kept calling for me. Now his 4 and we have been working with him ourselves and just let him enjoy playing in the pool. He now can swim again without fears. I think the whole infant swim thing is really not a good idea if your child is acting out. There are factors to consider too. Do you have a pool in the house? If not, then why rush right now. Just let him enjoy this time and enjoy playing water. When he gets older, he can learn to swim intead of just floating in the water. Hope this helps.

Hi K.,
Your son sounds like my two year old son. We have a pool, and we go swimming a lot lately, and he does throw his tantrums and fits and screams a lot, but come to find out, I really and truly believe because he's two, and doesn't know many words yet. He gets frustrated because he doesn't know how to get us to understand his needs and he knows that and he gets upset when may be a toy doesn't do something that he thinks it should, or when he's trying to communicate with me or my husband, and can't really vocalize his needs just yet. This is part of the twos. Try to ask your son calmly to tell you what he needs, or show you what he wants, or let him know that mommy can't understand him when he's throwing his fits. The other night after my husband gave my son his bath, and during his bath, his pitcher/cup didn't do what he thought it should and that flipped his switch. He started in on the screaming, fit throwing tantrums, and would not settle down enough to hear what daddy was trying to tell him etc. This is when I realized that he may be trying to communicate with us somehow and the frustration was just so built up in him that he exploded. So, very calmly I talked with him and got him to show me what he wanted. It wasn't just the cups in the tub that made him mad, it was the bulk of it all. He had a long day, exhausting with swimming and kids to play with, and as soon as we found out what exactly he needed/wanted and it was reasonable for us to do it for him, we got him calmed down and he was finally happy/tired again. So to me, the swim lessons might be just coinsidence(sp?), with his fit throwing, and it very well could be exhausting and he's overwhelmed, tired, and can't communicate vocally with you and it can be stressful and frustrating for him. So he screams, throws fits etc. Keep up the swimming lessons. It's imperative that he learns. And with the instructor saying that they'll learn how to swim in five weeks, however that might be true, don't give up on the lessons, and try to do this every summer just so that he can become a stronger swimmer. I am so glad to hear that you are giving your son swimming lessons. :-) You're not forcing him by all means. Kids don't realize the importance of swimming lessons. So keep up the good work and keep those swimming lessons going. :-) He will learn safety in and out of he water and that is vital! You are an exceptional parent and I'm so happy to hear that you are doing this for your son! God Bless! G.

Hi K., My son did Infant Swim at 18 months and then the refresher Infant Swim at 2 1/2 yrs. He cried during most of the first summer session (we went for 8 weeks, stubborn child) but yes ... He learned to "swim" roll and float with winter clothes on! When he was 2 1/2 yrs before we started the refresher lessons he fell face first in the pool (I was in the pool with him) ... he got himself on his back before I could reach him ... it had been 9 months since his last lesson. I am a big believer in Infant Swim after seeing what my son was able to do. He is now 3 1/2 yrs and takes "regular" swim lessons at Aqua Safe Swim School and LOVES the water ... he is even starting to do a regular swim stroke!

My vote ... keep up the lessons. I think his behavior is more about 2 year old temper tantrums than the Infant Swim lessons. Give him a chance to learn the roll and float routine ... it could save him if he ever falls into a pool! By the way, my pediatrician did Infant Swim for both of her children.

I know it is hard to see your child cry but remember you are giving him a skill that could keep him alive.

Best of luck!
S.

I taught swimming for five years in NY and NEVER pressured a child to enter the pool unless they were ready. Frustrated parents would ask me what to do, my advice was always to let your child call the shots. If your 2 year old enjoys the bath you can teach him the same skills they will be working on at the pool. I was hired by a big name swimming school and witnessed children scream through their entire lesson while their parents watched through a one way glass. At the end of the lesson I spoke with the parents who said that the child had been enrolled for longer than 2-3 months with the same results, a screaming child. If you would like the tantrums to stop remove the source of discomfort, read up on swimming lessons you can do at home. If you are comfortable enough hire someone to teach you, and practice with your son in a bathing suit in the tub!

Hello K.,
My name is C., I have a 2 yr old son also and he wasn't interested in swimming the first few times we went, (not in a class though) but as I took him more and let him cry till he realized one day it was fun, do you have a toddler pool or any kind of pool at home that you can take him in and play with him on your own, I think that would help him be more comfortable. Also I do think its a good idea he learn to swim, it is a good idea for all kids to learn to swim so that when they are around water if something should happen that we dont see they will know what to do. While I don't have a pool I make sure my kids do know what to do if they should fall into someone else or whatnot. Im a pretty paranoid mommy. I hope I helped alittle. Take care and good luck.

C.