My 7 year old daughter is having trouble learning how to swim and I can't find anyone that does swim lessons at a reasonable price around where I live. How can I teach her? I know how to swim very well, but she just won't let me teach her. Does anyone have any advice on a good way to help her and myself out??? Please help. I want her to learn.
2006-09-14 02:15:20 · 8 answers · asked by M.S. Mom 4 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Grade-Schooler
She loves the water. We use the arm floaties all the time. We also use the ring that goes around the waist. I just think she needs to be doing more than the doggie paddle. Or am I trying to rush her along? We don't use both the arm and waist floaties at the same time. Just thought I would clarify that.
2006-09-14 02:33:42 · update #1
I was a piano teacher for 14 yrs. and I found that I couldn't teach my own children, I had to get another instructor,they are more attentive to someone else.They can't figure out where the "Mom" leaves off and the"teacher" begins. But if you can't find an instructor and have to teach her yourself, you will find you have to be a lot more patient with her just like you would as if it were some one elses child. She has to learn not to be afraid of the water and I would start her out just letting her stand in low water where she can touch bottom and teach her to put her face in the water and blow bubbles first, then progress from there. Don't move on until she isn't afraid of just the getting her face under water and blowing bubblles, it will teach her to hold her breath while her head is under,also use those little "swimmies" that goes over each of her arms , stay right beside her at all times and just keep teaching her a little at a time, our problem is when it is our own child we expect more, but it is the other way around and do not be discouraged at how long it takes,I have had students that have been on the same page for 3 or 4 weeks before they finally get it,but you r better off if you pay the price an d get someone other than yourself to teach her, I always won them to myself and got them to like me personally first and once they like you they will come each week and you can correct them and it will not up set them like it does when we correct them. If not then "just go slow and don't expect to much too soon, Good luck either way.
2006-09-14 02:49:20 · answer #1 · answered by dchilders_ministerofmusic 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would try with her wearing floaties, just showing the basic moves, like the back float, doggie paddle. My daughter pretty well learned this way and she gets braver every year. Dont try to force her, this makes it worse. Make her feel like she is doing a wonderful job, even if she is just in the water. Praise seems to help a lot. Good Luck!!!
2006-09-14 09:20:13 · answer #2 · answered by cfoxwell99 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if there is not a ymca around, you can contact the american red cross. i believe they both have swimming classes for children and adults.
my advice. remember that she is your baby, but dont BABY her. toss her in with some arm floaties and let her swim around for a few days or a couple of weeks.
then wean her from the floaties. i know you may feel bad about doing such a rotten thing, but get her excited about going to the pool and one day, "accidently" forget the floaties.
she will still want to play in the water. move yourself out to a little deeper water and let her come to you. DONT go to her. make her work at it a little and soon, you will be asking how to keep her out of the deep end of the pool, when you are sunning yourself on the deck.
-eagle
2006-09-14 09:25:24 · answer #3 · answered by eaglemyrick 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I would check local schools in the area. I know our high school has a pool and they have classes all the time. Also a local YMCA or something similar or even some city recreation centers have pools. Even some health gyms have pools. The schools and YMCA should be the most affordable.
Kids are so funny when a parent is trying to teach them something. They are so much more patient with someone else teaching them.
2006-09-15 09:33:12 · answer #4 · answered by tammykat_36 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sometimes the Parks and Rec dept. will offer scholarships, but you have to give them your financial information to apply. Our local aquatic center charged about $40 for swim lessons, which I thought was a little spendy, especially on my budget (but I didn't qualify for the scholarship), but I was able to rest easier this summer while the kids were at summer camp and swimming because they had more skills then than they did at the beginning of the summer... and $40 is cheaper than the price of a swimming accident!
2006-09-14 14:30:03 · answer #5 · answered by sokkermum 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Has she said exactly why she's having trouble? My mom and various instructors tried to teach me to swim for several years, and it wasn't happening simply because I was afraid to put my face in the water. All it took was a pair of swim goggles (they have them at all kinds of drug and department stores, you don't have to get athletic quality ones, cheap plastic ones work just fine), and I learned quickly (I was about 9, this was after 3 or 4 years of trying to teach me).
2006-09-14 13:41:58 · answer #6 · answered by p.helen 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Find out if any of the places that offer swim lessons have money available for help (scholarship funds). Here I know our YMCA and rec center both have these funds available. Often times you have to ask for the assistance to get it, and fill out forms, and provide proof of income. Most programs will ask you to pay a fee.
2006-09-14 19:55:05 · answer #7 · answered by erinjl123456 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Around here, we have a summer recreation program at the park that also has swim lessons (I don't remember if they are free). Also, maybe she knows other kids who already know how to swim? Sometimes kids learn better from other kids, and would rather do it that way.
2006-09-14 10:49:56 · answer #8 · answered by angelbaby 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋