Hi all
DS is 22 months and loved swimming until he was about 1. we stopped taking him to the pool because he just whinged the whole time and it seemed pointless. I think that was a mistake because now he is terrified of swimming pools. He loves the sea, he loves his bath, no fear of water (or anything else for that matter). He loves watching swimmers from behind a glass door. As soon as we go through he kicks off and gets himself totally hysterical.
Having signed up for a term of lessons (and being a keen swimmer myself) I want to help him over come his fear. Today, I sat with him on the side and kicked my legs and gave him a toy, but he still wouldn't stop crying, so I dried him off and told him that he didn't have to go in but would he sit with me on the bench until all of the other children had finished, so he could see that it was fun. He cried (hysterically) intermittantly for the next 20 mins. He stopped when the teacher got out the bubbles, and again when they did the dunking bit. But he was desperately trying to get out of there. I felt really cruel making him stay.
Teacher reckons I should persevere and keep going, but not push him to go in until he's ready. Is this wise or will it just traumatise him further? I think swimming is such an important life skill and I really want him to enjoy it as much as me and his dad do.
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Parenting
Toddler fear of swimming - how to overcome?
5 replies
sleepcrisis · 18/04/2013 13:06
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