It seems that small children fall into one of two categories
when it comes to being in the water. There are those toddlers and children that
seem to immediately take to swimming and those that dread lessons and seem to
fear going anywhere near the water.
As a parent you want your children to be able to swim for
many different reasons. First and foremost is for their safety and your peace
of mind, but there are many other reasons as well. Swimming is a great exercise
option, helps to build confidence and coordination and also provides children
with a real sense of personal achievement.
To get those kids that seem to be hesitant about being in
the water excited about learning to swim there are a few things that you can do
as parents. These include:
- Mom and Dad can talk about swimming, learning to swim and
how much they enjoy swimming. Modeling the behavior by going swimming is
also a key factor in making it appealing for the child.
- Take your child to a pool that has a wading area and a
shallow end. Go into the wading area with them and just splash and have
fun. Gradually move into deeper water but always stay close to the child
and progress at his or her own pace.
- Invite a small group of parents and children and have a
pool party. If a child sees other children in the water he or she will be
less uncertain about the activity.
- Consider taking the child to a lake or beach where the
child feels more in a comfortable element rather than in a pool. Allow the
child to walk into the water, sit down and splash around.
The most important thing is to make each experience
positive. Never force the child or trick the child into getting into deeper
water as this can create more anxiety and a real lack of trust.
No comments:
Post a Comment