It’s a familiar scene for many parents: Their young one, perhaps excited at first about the idea of swimming at a pool or beach, becomes hesitant or fearful when the time comes to take the plunge. It’s a healthy and normal uncertainty – and one that Greater Midland Director of Aquatics Tyler Miller says is commonly seen in camp and class settings, as well.
“What you might see is a resistance to following our prompts,” Tyler says. “If we’re asking them to jump in the water, or even something simple like walking down the steps, they’re hesitant. Depending on the child, some of them become very upset, others may become silent.”
While not every child who overcomes that fear will follow Tyler’s path – who swam competitively at Saginaw Heritage High School and SVSU before starting a career in aquatics – he is living proof that beginning at a young age can be beneficial. Using a pool in the backyard, his parents made an early effort to get him used to swimming without floaties, leading to increased water comfort and safety as he got older.
When your child struggles to get acclimated to water, though, it’s only natural to want to keep them comfortable. Fortunately, avoidance is not the only path. As Tyler shares below, kids can ease into the water in ways that are fun and encouraging, rather than stressful.
Starting very early isn’t essential, but it definitely helps.
“The earlier you start, the better. It becomes a natural thing the child is familiar with. There are things you can do at home in a bathtime setting to get kids used to having water on their head and in their face – some parents will use a colander, or even simply pour water over the back of their child’s head. Or you can practice blowing bubbles. For a more structured setting, Greater Midland offers classes for babies and toddlers to do with a parent or caregiver.”
For kids already uncertain, it’s all about small wins.
“All children start from different spots. Something one child might find easy can be the biggest challenge for another. Coming up with a small reward for being brave or being willing to take a certain step definitely helps. When we teach swimming at the Community Center, we do everything as a progression, so you have those baseline skills like getting in the water, blowing bubbles. For a child who is afraid, we’re not asking them to go underwater on the first day!”
Group classes bring a beneficial social aspect.
“A class setting can be helpful, because a child will have peers around that they can watch. They can recognize: ‘My classmate was able to do that, and they’re okay – maybe I’ll give that a shot!’”
Building positive experiences, rather than avoiding the water, pays dividends.
“In my adult swim classes, the people who are the most fearful typically had two or three bad experiences in the water and then didn’t touch the water for years or decades. So, trying to get your child in a positive environment where they’re safe and know that nothing bad is going to happen to them is really important.”
Parent or caregiver involvement can help – and the adults learn a lot, too.
“In our parent-child curriculum, we teach parents how to support their child in the water and how to best hold them so they can do different movements. We also cover water safety topics, like how to put on a life jacket, how to fit one properly. There are also ways adults can act that set the right tone. If the child goes underwater unexpectedly, you can act like it’s not a big deal. They’ll be able to tell if you’re anxious, so making sure you stay calm makes a big difference.”
Remember that for even the most fearful kids, transformations happen.
“I’ve seen many success stories. I had a mom stop by my office just a week or two ago – her son has been doing swim lessons for about a year now. When he was five, he had a really negative relationship with the water because he had almost drowned. After a year of lessons, he’s now swimming with his family on vacations, going down water slides, and is just totally comfortable in the water.”
Consider swimming classes through Greater Midland (learn more at https://greatermidland.org/programs):
· Aqua Babies (ages 6 months – 1.5 years), Guppies (ages 1.5 – 2.5), and Goldfish (ages 2.5 – 3.5). An adult must be present with each child.
· Learn to Swim – classes for ages 3-16, divided by age and ability.
· Private and Semi-Private Swim Lessons – one-on-one instruction to improve technique, endurance and form.
· Adult Learn to Swim – Lessons for ages 18+.
· A variety of fun aquatic-themed classes through Greater Midland summer camps.