Swimming lessons
Ever since my son was 8 months old we have taken him to "swimming lessons" on the weekends. I put it in quotes because he's not really swimming, of course. Although I swear that my now 10-year-old niece was able to keep her head above water before she could form real sentences... but I'm looking for proof of that. I'm sure there is a video somewhere. But she wasn't "swimming" either, just ... thrashing.
Anyway. He absolutely loves it. He wasn't a big fan of going under water at first, but now he's learned to anticipate it and does fine. Almost never comes up coughing, and if he does, it's usually my fault for timing it badly. He's very comfortable in the water, he kicks and pulls when he's asked to, he stands on the ledge and walks off into my arms, he goes on the float device without me holding on. He'll even lie on his back with his head on my shoulder and float a bit (but heaven forbid I hold him in that position with only my arms under him for support).
Each lesson is the same routine, the same order, with a different fun activity at the end (floating devices, a water slide, a boat to be pushed around in...). He knows the pattern, it's pretty impressive.
However... the more I think about it, the more I worry that this is actually making it LESS safe for him to be around water. He loves it! He jumps in! On purpose! And ... can't swim.
I know he's learning valuable skills for when he can swim later, and he'll be much more comfortable and confident in the water at that time... but. Yeah. Is it actually WORSE for his (current) safety that we are doing this? Hm.
Anyway. He absolutely loves it. He wasn't a big fan of going under water at first, but now he's learned to anticipate it and does fine. Almost never comes up coughing, and if he does, it's usually my fault for timing it badly. He's very comfortable in the water, he kicks and pulls when he's asked to, he stands on the ledge and walks off into my arms, he goes on the float device without me holding on. He'll even lie on his back with his head on my shoulder and float a bit (but heaven forbid I hold him in that position with only my arms under him for support).
Each lesson is the same routine, the same order, with a different fun activity at the end (floating devices, a water slide, a boat to be pushed around in...). He knows the pattern, it's pretty impressive.
However... the more I think about it, the more I worry that this is actually making it LESS safe for him to be around water. He loves it! He jumps in! On purpose! And ... can't swim.
I know he's learning valuable skills for when he can swim later, and he'll be much more comfortable and confident in the water at that time... but. Yeah. Is it actually WORSE for his (current) safety that we are doing this? Hm.