The Importance of Swim Lessons
One of my first memories as child was sitting on the edge of a pool when I was three or four years old. I was precariously perched between my moms legs with both our feet dangling in, and I was lunging over trying to get into the water during my sisters swim lesson. I just looked at it as something fun then, but now I see how eager my mother was for my sister and I to be safe in the water.
Water Safety is such a broad topic. It can cover so many factors that contribute to safety and can mean different things to different age groups, genders, and ethnic groups. Water is also a subject that is approached differently in every household. For example, my grandma was deathly afraid of the water, after an accident as a child. However, my mom loved the water, went to the pool everyday as a kid, and learned to swim after begging my grandpa. My sister and I were in the pool as soon as we were able to be, and both really loved it. Even though not everyone loves the water, because it is such a prevalent thing in our society it's so important to understand how to stay safe around and in the water.
My first year lifeguarding, a middle aged man came to the pool for lessons with one of our most senior lifeguards. He was visibly in a panic and looked just like the little kids who would hide behind moms leg when they're nervous. He paid, went to change and then the lifeguard told me that his wife said if he wanted them to start having kids he needed to learn how to swim. That struck me as odd initially, and then I thought back on my lifeguard training. Drowning is the leading cause of death for children under the age of 5, for every child that dies of drowning 4 more are sent to the hospital, and 16 are treated for life threatening conditions (CDC, 2014). This reminded me how important water safety was and how much I had taken for granted how early I was exposed to and was taught about water safety. This couple was was taking an important step in water safety by making sure they were both equipped to keep their child safe.
It's also been shown by retrospective research from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development that of children ages 1-4 that had formal swimming lessons less than 3% had drowned (NIH, 2015). After considering this I think it's safe to say that the earlier water safety begins the better. Learning those valuable skills and giving children both the education and confidence to to take care of themselves in and around water is essential. You can put up all the fences, give as many warnings, and strap as many floaters to your child you want, but unless they know some basic skills, and water safety tactics they will never be safe.
Swim lessons may only seem like a fun activity for a week or two during the summer, it may be something your child originally fusses about, but it's actually an unfathomable investment. If a couple weeks of swim lessons could save your child's life, wouldn't you sign them up?
Water Safety is such a broad topic. It can cover so many factors that contribute to safety and can mean different things to different age groups, genders, and ethnic groups. Water is also a subject that is approached differently in every household. For example, my grandma was deathly afraid of the water, after an accident as a child. However, my mom loved the water, went to the pool everyday as a kid, and learned to swim after begging my grandpa. My sister and I were in the pool as soon as we were able to be, and both really loved it. Even though not everyone loves the water, because it is such a prevalent thing in our society it's so important to understand how to stay safe around and in the water.
My first year lifeguarding, a middle aged man came to the pool for lessons with one of our most senior lifeguards. He was visibly in a panic and looked just like the little kids who would hide behind moms leg when they're nervous. He paid, went to change and then the lifeguard told me that his wife said if he wanted them to start having kids he needed to learn how to swim. That struck me as odd initially, and then I thought back on my lifeguard training. Drowning is the leading cause of death for children under the age of 5, for every child that dies of drowning 4 more are sent to the hospital, and 16 are treated for life threatening conditions (CDC, 2014). This reminded me how important water safety was and how much I had taken for granted how early I was exposed to and was taught about water safety. This couple was was taking an important step in water safety by making sure they were both equipped to keep their child safe.
It's also been shown by retrospective research from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development that of children ages 1-4 that had formal swimming lessons less than 3% had drowned (NIH, 2015). After considering this I think it's safe to say that the earlier water safety begins the better. Learning those valuable skills and giving children both the education and confidence to to take care of themselves in and around water is essential. You can put up all the fences, give as many warnings, and strap as many floaters to your child you want, but unless they know some basic skills, and water safety tactics they will never be safe.
Swim lessons may only seem like a fun activity for a week or two during the summer, it may be something your child originally fusses about, but it's actually an unfathomable investment. If a couple weeks of swim lessons could save your child's life, wouldn't you sign them up?
I completely agree with you that swimming is essential to living. You never know what could happen and i think everyone should know how to swim. I was in swim lessons in day care and preschool and it was the best thing ever. I can still remember passing my swim test. Then in high school i went to join the swim team because i loved it so much and turns out i was great at it! i made the varsity swim team and swam for 2 years. Then i also went to be a lifeguard and i can back you up when you say that water safety is very important.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on many counts in this blog. I strongly believe in putting children through swim lessons as soon as possible. I was a swim instructor in high school and I worked with infants and parents in a "Toddler and Me" class. I believed that this specific class is essential in growing confidence in children and parents when it comes to swimming and water.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up, I had a deep pool in my backyard. Even though I had a pool, my parents put my brother and I in swimming lessons for many summers. I wouldn't say I am an expert swimmer, but I am completely comfortable being in water and I know I could help in water if ever needed. Swimming lessons are incredibly important and I would hope that many parents are taking action, like the couple you mentioned in your blog.
I agree with you about swimming being important in children and adult's lives. A lot of deaths occur in children's lives because they fell in a swim pool and drowned. Learning how to swim can prevent millions of deaths by simply putting your child in swim lessons. Do you know any demographic statistics?
ReplyDeleteMy brothers and I have always loved swimming. When I was about 9 I begged my mom to put me in the YMCA swimming program and to this day I am a really good swimmer but one summer a friend of mine jumped into the lake and began drowning and I was in such shock I couldn't even jump in. luckily another friend who was with us jumped in and saved her.
ReplyDeleteI used to teach swim lessons at the YMCA it was always a struggle when children had been intentionally scared of water by their parents before being taught to swim. I understand parents want to keep their children away from the water to keep them safe. But scaring them into staying away makes it so much harder for them to want to learn. Do you think that there is a better way to keep children safe, when it comes to water, rather than scaring them away from it?
ReplyDeletewhen and where may I sign up? fantastic post. I couldn't agree with you more. This is something I have been meaning to look into so thank you for the reminder. My daughter currently loves being in the pool. however I have noticed that now as she is getting older and time away from the pool is long she has developed a bit of some fear. while she is young I do want her to learn how to swim. as a child I was so afraid of the water, I did not learn how to swim until I was a bit older into my childhood. and yes the amount of child deaths due to swimming is so alarming to me. I want my child to be able to swim to safety.
ReplyDeleteI think water safety is SO important because most people don't even think about it. I also took swimming lessons as a child and I did not have the best experience. I don't know how to swim properly but I do know how to float and various other things. Knowing how to swim can help you in so many ways that I can't even imagine.
ReplyDeleteWow. I loved that story about the couple wanting to have kids but the husband having to learn how to swim first. I think it's genius. My family taught us all how to swim before teaching us how to walk and talk. We're a school of fish now, Lol. We have always gone on big family vacations and if you want to keep up with the fun, you better know how to swim, float, hold your breath and race in the water. Swimming is just as fundamental as reading, in my opinion. And the safety aspect of it, should anything go wrong, is so important.
ReplyDeleteWater safety is so important. Once my brother sank tot he bottom of a pool when he was a child and my mom was horrific but he came up smiling. Children have natural life safety skills
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