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Introduce your child to the water
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Tips on Introducing Your Child to the Water
Making a child feel comfortable in the water is the first and
most important step towards helping them learn to swim. To swim
well your body needs to be relaxed so you are working with the
water, not fighting it. A child's first reaction to water may
vary from crying at the sight of it to jumping right in. The anxious
or ambitious child should be introduced to the water several times
before you sign them up for swim lessons. The small introduction
you do can move them through the beginning of lessons much quicker.
Child anxious about water ("the Cryer")
If your child is very anxious around the pool or beach, just take
things slow and explain what you are going to do before you do
it. Have the child sit with you on the edge of the pool, with
their feet in or out of the water. Show your child how you splash
the water with your feet. Take small handfuls of water and splash
yourself. Have your child do the same. Next, try moving further
into the water. If there is another edge to the pool or a gutter,
sit there. If not, get in the water and take your child and just
wet them up to their waist or thighs. Always talk to your child
and tell them what you are going to do next. As your child becomes
comfortable with the water, lower them further into the swimming
pool. If at any step your child resists, just go back to the previous
successful step.
Child who has no fear of the water ("Jumpers")
Some children just jump right into the water. You need to teach
them a little fear for the water. Try explaining that it is dangerous.
Show your child that if they jump in and can't stand up or reach
the edge, they will be in trouble. Showing your child this danger
is useful, but be very careful not to scare them of the water.
Also have your child practice staying close to the wall or shallow
water even with floaties. A fun way to practice this is to have
your child practice blowing bubbles or dunking with at least 1
hand on the edge. Let every dunk or bubbles set earn them 1 point
if they keep a hand on the edge & lose a point if they let
go of the edge.
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