Growing up trips to the beach on the weekend were an integral part of life. As a family we would spend hours holidaying or day tripping at any one of our local beaches. I fondly remember hours upon hours of fun. So, as you can imagine learning to swim, and water safety were a must; and from an early age swimming lessons were a part of our weekly after school activities.
Our Summers to date have taken a turn down the same path; with frequent trips to the beach, afternoons spent in the paddling pool and recently in the spa (at my parents). Water, water, everywhere!
Last term I was asked if Sebastian would like to take part in their YMCA’s Swim Schools pre school programme and as you may have guessed… I couldn’t say yes fast enough. I was keen to properly introduce Sebastian to the water and of course water safety. His lessons initially started with a mixture of excitement and nerves – he was excited, I was nervous. However, our instructor was fabulous and made everyone (Mum included) feel at ease. The lessons were a fun, happy and relaxed introduction to his first ‘real’ taste of the water.
Fast forward six weeks and the results are in. The turning point was at our last lesson last term when we used the life jackets with the kids and our lesson was solely based around water safety. He absolutely LOVED it and found floating around with them so much fun. Sebastian is now like a little fish. He is loving the water and his confidence has grown no end. Now when I talk about confidence I am not just talking about when in the water or around the water. I am talking about confidence within himself and around others. He loves going to swimming lessons and is always one of the first to line up to get in the pool. He is now confident in jumping in off the side and knows what to do when / if he was to fall in. He excited to tell Daddy, Nanny, Poppa.. anyone who will listen really all about what he did that day at swimming.
The YMCA Swim School believes ‘swimming lessons are important to enable anyone to be safer in and around the water.’ By introducing your child to lessons early on you are encouraging your child to be ‘confident in the water whilst teaching them valuable life saving skills around water safety.‘ Swimming lessons encourage lots of areas of development from the physical to emotional; and social to intellectual.
As a Mum, I think they are have been incredibly worthwhile but also valuable (or invaluable, really). Part of me wishes I had taken Sebastian sooner yet I am not sure he would have got as much out of the lessons then as he has now. They are definitely something I am going to continue with him, I can not wait to see how he goes with the one on one classes when he hits three.
*Please note: I was offered swimming lessons for Sebastian, however this post was written on my own accord with all thoughts and opinions being my own*
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