First swimming lesson for dd - a disaster!

[Dillie]

In my infinite wisdom, I decided to book my dd in for some swimming lessons with a private tutor as she is really worried about swimming. They go swimming in year 2, so I didnt want her to go and be scared half to death.

She goes with a class mate, whos mum I am good friends with. Her lad cant really swim much either so we clubbed together and got them both the lessons for just under £65 each for 7 weeks.

My dd and my friends ds are very good friends. They go to the same school and are in the same class.

This I hoped would help my dd in getting her into the pool at least without freaking out too much.

She spent the whole time screaming and crying "I want my mummy" "I cant do this" and I was watching her, fighting back tears and feeling pretty awful. Just as well my friend was there for moral support!!

The instructor is lovely. Very patient and supportive. She was very supportive (but firm) to my dd who in the end said "no more tears now dd" and "your doing really well"

The odd thing was, for a few minutes at a time, she was doing really well. Then she seemed to think about what she was doing and totally freak out.

My DD seemed fairly happy towards the end (but maybe that was the relief of the lesson ending!!) and said she was happy to go back next week. But when we got home, I said how proud i was of her and next week it will be even better, she said "i am not going back next week" I then spent the next 10 mins or so trying to explain that she must go. I used the excuse that her best mate will miss her if she isn't there.

I just know she will kick a huge fuss up next week. And I know I must persevere, so I need some tips! Should I take her myself at the weekend and practice what she did? Or would this be too much?

I really dont want to put her off it for life, but at the same time, its such a valuable skill, and it is one that I dont have to any great degree

[jenpet1]

I'd probably take her again but choose a quiet time so it's not scary or splashy and try to make it fun, if at all possible. Don't give in or she'll use making a fuss as a strategy to not do things and you'll never get anything done then. Good luck.

[ragged]

It would be best if you went with her lots of time for fun, just let her sit by the side of the pool if that's all she's up for. Slowly her innate curiousity will make her want to get in and join the other children having fun.

If it's any comfort, even though we went lots from when she was a baby, DD was always clingy in the pool. Her first 8 swimming lessons, at age 5.5yo, were disasters. Shrieking, crying, refusing to travel more than 1cm from the wall. I tried rewarding her with chocolate (her suggestion!) to get her to put her face in the water, totally backfired.

4-6 months later, When she was 6yo, we went to the pool a lot with her 5yo friend who could then swim like a fish... slowly DD's water-confidence increased (she didn't like being bested by a peer!), she went back into swimming lessons enthusiastically. She is now 9yo and a strong swimmer.