# Swim lessons– yay or nay



## 1yogamama1 (May 8, 2018)

My son is only 15 months old. We're currently taking swim lessons at the YMCA. It's geared around pool safety & awareness for both child & parent, plus it's fun (as long as your LO isn't scared of splashing & the pool). 

We're 3 classes in & we practiced a single submerging of my son this passed Saturday. He thought it was cool No big deal, but... today at class he cryed & was so upset...
at this age is it REALLY needed to submerge? I understand children cry & it's my job to protect him. I'm also to teach him that yes it can be scary, but you're okay & mommy is with you... still though... Is it necessary?

Your opinions? I know swim lessons are very important, but at this age is going under water at all helpful? Thanks!

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## katelove (Apr 28, 2009)

I personally don’t think so. I prefer to take a child-led approach. Give them plenty of opportunities to play in and around water. Let them see you enjoying water and let them go at their own pace. 

Water play doesn’t have to be just swimming. The bath, shower, backyard hose, water table etc can all help with familiarisation. 

There is also some research to show that early swimming lessons don’t result in competence earlier than delaying them as well so I would say you could stop the lessons and just take him swimming yourself if the lessons weren’t meeting his needs. 

My girls are now nearly 8 and 5.5yo and they both learned to swim without lessons. 


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## mumto1 (Feb 17, 2016)

If it's making him upset I wouldn't push too hard, try to keep it fun. I put my son through lessons, he's not great at listening to what his parents tell him but might listen to others. Swimming ability and lifesaving skills were critical for us as we used to go camping/up North a lot (sometimes involving portaging) and there are a lot pools/lakes etc around here. You hear of kids drowning every summer/whenever the ice fully melts on creeks etc. here because they had no swimming skills to fall back on.


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