Variation on Swimming Question...

I would probably go with the private place as well. I sort of agree and disagree with both of your previous responders...I think that MOST kids probably don't learn how to swim until 4-6 but kids as young as 2-3 can absolutely learn how to swim. We're experiencing the exact same issue with our daughter. She can basically swim but needs a real teacher. We've had her in county swim lessons for 2 years and even the instructors basically said she's too advanced for their classes. I'm trying to find a private place but can't. But, I do think that you can trust a 3 y/o who is swimming. Would I leave them in the pool and walk away, no, but you can surely sit on the side or tend to another kid if you're watching them. My daughter is 3.5 and her friend just turned 4 and they are very good in the water. I don't think it's the norm, but it is possible. I would probably just take your kid to the private place and leave. Don't give youself a chance to second guess it or be scared by the tactics of the instructor. Prepare your child, drop them off and leave. That's what I'd do! Good luck!

I think for 90% of kids, three is too young to actually learn to swim. Most kids learn closer to 5-6 which is a huge developmental leap forward. I also think even if he passes this class and does learn to "swim", you still can't trust him alone in the water. So, I don't see the point. Let him take a skills class and learn to enjoy the water and practice without the pressure.

And no teacher would ever make me leave if my child wanted me. Tha tis all on me and no one else's business.

I found the biggest thing to help my daughter learn was to do a set of about 8 private lessons after she had some basic comfort in the water. She learned to swim face in torpedo-ing and basic stroke. Now, she is doing group classes to become proficient and learn more skills.

Swimming is a safety issue.
Sign them up for the private lessons. Don't make a to-do, just drop them off. If you don't make a big deal, they won't either. If you get nervous, they will sense it and react...
Disappear during said lessons and read a book in the hallway or something.
LBC

We are in different states so things could be very different, but my daughter learned to swim at the YMCA. She was there for childcare, and they started taking them "swimming" at 6 months old. Now she just turned 9 and is in the highest level swimming class offered. Next she will be in a class that starts teaching life guard skills. I've been very happy with the classes through the Y. The instructors are all Red Cross Certified.

I would ask to observe more than one class at the private school. I would want to know how the instructors interact with the children. I don't know how any school can "guarantee" that a 3 year-old (or any age child) will be swimming on their own in 2 weeks of classes. A fear of water is very easy to create in a child, and very hard to dispel.

My daughter has really never cried for me, during swimming or any other activity, but that might be because I would never walk away from her if she needed me, and she knows that.

We never went through our YMCA, we went through our 'Parks and Recreation Department' and they offered American Red Cross Certified swimming lessons and they were great. The Red Cross has set standard levels, very easy to figure out which level your child should be in, they give MANY examples of what the kid needs to be able to do to be in each level.

~I have put/am putting 7 kids through swimming lessons, never needed a 'private' lesson, they all thrived and learned in the group setting...much cheaper too!

If you like the private lessons and have the $ for it, go for it!

I can't get past the fact that you will be asked to leave if your child cries for you. How can that possibly be acceptable? If they are not considering why the child is crying for you, the result may be the exact opposite of what you want - your child could be taught to fear and hate going in the water.

Seriously, there are kinder ways to teach children that will achieve the result you are looking for - a child who is confident and safe in the water.

I disagree with SM. Many kids learn how to swim by the age of 2. Teaching a child how to swim and float can save their life. As parents we all know that anything can happen when you turn your back for just a second. These are life skills that need to be taught at an early age. If you go to infantswim.com you can watch video's of babies learning how to save their own life if they were to fall into a pool.

I would strongly suggest the better of the two places for swim lessons. Also, kids tend to do better when Mom isn't right there. When I tought lessons we asked the parents to be out of eye view from the kids. We allowed them to stay and watch as long as their child couldn't see them.