Stevesbluewrx

iTrader: (4)

Hi guys,

I'm taking my little boy swimming for the first time tomorrow.
He's 6 months old so not expecting him to start doing lengths just yet.

Whats the best way to get the little man used to the water. Someone said dunk them under the water when you first get in? He loves the bath and I get in the bath with him sometimes so is it more or less the same practice.

Has anyone else had the same fear or is it just me?

Steve

FlightMan

Just get in the water first, get your wife to hand him over and play. If at any point he goes under, DONT make a fuss, laugh it off.

Just enjoy it, and he will too.

bonerp

yeah dont mother him otherwise he'll panick and become a wuss! I took my girl from 6 months, didnt wrap her up in cotton wool but certainly not irresponsible. If she went under just play it up. Throw him to your partner and back. Its all about confidence. now she has so much confidence and is way ahead of others for her age, happily swimming underwater. Now shes 5.

we are luck in swindon as we have a wave pool which she now loves.

davegtt

Full 100% body submergence for a good, ohhh say 10 seconds should help him get used to the water. HTH's

alistair

We properly dunked both ours from the first time we took them - they've been water babies ever since.

Hold them facing you, lower yourself and them down, then continue to lower them under the water - head fully under, then bring them back up and laugh at them.

They come up a little shocked (obviously), look to you for a reaction and quickly get the idea that it's fun.

The more relaxed and care free you are, the better they will be - if you make a fuss, they will pick up on it.

Brendan Hughes

What's the view on chlorine? Do baby pools have less, or do you go to a friend's house, or do you just live with it?

Proby521

iTrader: (1)

Took my lad at 3 months, straight after his last set of injections. He loved it, (as said, he loved the bath too), was not too rough with him, but dunked him under more than once! Will soon be time to take my little girl, she has another three weeks before her last set of injections are done! Hope you have/had fun!

Proby

Suresh

My older boy is obviously a late beginner - he started weekly 'lessons' just before he turned 3 a couple of months ago. He is now virtually fearless - quite happy jumping in the deep end with or without arm bands and can paddle merrily by himself with arm bands on. He also sits on my lap on the mahoosive water slide - which is brilliant fun for us both. He's leapfrogged over the kids who have been going for years.

I'd say let your child develop and familiarise at their own pace - its not a race. 9 months ago my boy wouldn't even go on a 1 metre slide let alone an 80 metre one!

The Snug Rhino

as above, theres little coralation between taking a baby swimming and them being a better swimmer - just go for fun if the kid enjoys it.