Having a Healthy Respect for Water
We own many water troughs on our farm. They sit out all day full of water. There are also many ponds nearby. We have an above-ground swimming pool. A deep creek crosses near our property. Sometimes water collects and does not drain in the bends of the creek. Needless to say, water hazards are easy to find.
Having fun in the pool.
The other day a family visited us. Their children ended up going swimming with my children in our pool. It is only 4 feet deep, but the mother was a nervous wreck. I found out that none of her children knew how to swim. I was not necessarily nervous as her children are taller than the walls of the pool, but I was shocked. Why would you not teach your child to swim?
Now not everyone is going to be Michael Phelps; I am not talking about competitive swimming. Being part of a swim team is a great experience. I was on it when I was 9 or 10 years old. I really learned my strokes and developed endurance. However not every child needs to know how to compete in swimming. But in my opinion, every child needs to know how to swim.
The danger of a child falling into a body of water unsupervised is too great. Children can drown in a couple of inches of water in a bucket or bathtub. Sadly children of all ages end up drowning every year. I realize that excellent swimmers sometimes drown too of various reasons, but these cases are not the focus of this article.
I start teaching my children to swim as babies. I take them into the pool with me. I hold them tightly, but occasionally I will let their faces go under the water for a second. They learn to hold their breath after a few times. My son Isaac was the fastest learner. He held his breath every single time. It came so naturally for him. He also would kick his feet automatically. I always joked that I could let go of him and he would swim like a fish, but I never worked up enough courage to let go.
Everywhere we swim someone asks me where I bought this. I found it at Wal-Mart.
After they hold their breath, we begin kicking. Andrew at 16 months was kicking his legs in the pool before his accident. He has not been able to swim since then for obvious reasons. Isaac, who is two, swims with the coolest device that I have ever bought for swimming. It is a belt that goes around his chest with built-in wings for his arms. It has the face of a shark printed on the front. He wears this to enjoy the water. He thinks that he is really cool, but we do have swimming time without his aid.
The next step is blowing bubbles in the water. This is fun and reinforces holding one’s breath under water. Then we begin paddling with our arms. We doggie paddle. This is when the kids get the most excited because they really feel comfortable and in control. Next we work on floating. We learn to float on our backs and the jellyfish float. The latter is when you curl your legs up and float with your face down in the water. Your body has very little to do, but lift your head occasionally for air. We also learn to tread water.
Now we start working on our strokes. Freestyle, breast, back, and butterfly are the four main strokes. I am most concerned with them knowing the first two. I enjoy the scissor stroke, if that is the name of it, because you get to keep your head above water. It is very relaxing to me.
Once they know how to do these basic things. We practice diving simply from the ground into an in-ground pool or a pier into a lake. I like to challenge the older children with things like, “I bet you cannot get across the pool without using your hands or legs.” “I bet you cannot touch the bottom of the pool in the deep end.” “Can you swim like a dolphin or a seal?” They really enjoy these simple challenges.
I hope this article helps give you some ideas on how to develop a healthy respect for water in your children. Water can be such a fun environment in which to play. It offers enjoyment and relaxation. However, it can also be dangerous. I am not a certified teacher in swimming, but that is not necessary. I just wanted to share how I teach my own children. If you feel more comfortable hiring someone else, that is fine. Whatever you do, teach your children to swim before the summer is over.
