Swim Lessons - inpatient about slow progress

auburnbride2be · June 2012

DD has been consistently going to lessons 1x per week at our gym (Lifetime Fitness) for about 8 months. I just don't see much progress and am getting frustrated. I don't know if the problem is more that I may have unrealistic expectations or if I may need to try another instructor or lessons somewhere else. It just appears they keep doing the same 2-3 things in each class. I also considered trying some private lessons so she gets more time one on one. Right now she shares her 30 minute class with 2-4 other kids.

Louise06 · June 2012

We tried group lessons for DD and she really did not get any water skills out of them. There just wasn't enough one on one time (there was only 2 other kids in the class). We started private lessons about 6 weeks ago and she has made an incredible amount of progress, much more than I would have dreamed possible. I am very happy with my decision to move her to private lessons. She has 2 30 minute lessons a week.

virginia&alan · June 2012

Hard to say without seeing the lesson or the instructor. She might do better with a different instructor, but my guess is that private lessons might be the way to go. DD#1 has been taking lessons at our gym (Athletic Club NE) in the same kind of environment since Feb. and she's been able to swim on her own for the last 2 months or so. Granted we have done lessons before (last summer and when she was a baby), but I picked an instructor that already had a good relationship with DD#1 from other gym activities. I will say that when we've hit the pool as a family lately, we have been reinforcing the lessons (no floaties, emphasizing kicks and scoops, face in the water, reach and pull, etc.) and that has made a huge difference in her progress.

Check out Dynamo, they have an excellent swim program. We would have continued to use them, but our gym was a better fit with we started needing childcare during the lessons for DD#2.

Starfish17 · June 2012

We are at Atlanta Swim Academy, and are overall pretty happy. DS can do basic skills - kicking, climbing out, and can swim/ stay above water with his float pack on. There are a max of 4 kids in his class each week, and he goes in the pool without us. They recommend doing private lessons for a month or two if you are trying to get your child to move up to the next level, or learn new skills. Perhaps you could talk to the instructor and see if they have any suggestions?

JulesDiane · June 2012

I am a big believer in the Infant Swim Rescue program. It is a big commitment and a lot of work for your LO. it can be up to 6+ weeks of lessons every weekday (10 minute lessons). DD has been swimming and floating since about 15 months. She LOVES to swim!

Kel&Mike · June 2012

We did private swim lessons last year with Melissa at Lifetime Mountain Park. Within a month my two year old was swimming alone and by three months he pass? his swim test by swimming an entire lane by himself. I highly recommend private. We would also go during the week to reinforce and have fun as a family. This year at three he dives an swims in the 8ft end to the stairs without issue.

frlcb · June 2012

I also think you should do private lessons, they are more intense, usually shorter, and for us have worked better. We looked into ISR but I have read about some controversy with it, and we don't live with a pool or a lake in our yard, so for us we decided private lessons and being vigilant watching our kids around water was more important.

Kerrin · June 2012

We've been doing the same thing, at almost a year. The progress is slow, but eventually something will "Click" and then you'll see bigger progress. I'm just seeing it with Carter in the last month or so. Ava is really close to "getting it" as well. They are slowly building a foundation. We are at Dynamo and no matter the age group or the skill level, it's always a slow and steady pace. What you are describing is pretty typical in our program.

But what they are learning at this point are pretty much basic life saving skills, as much as swimming. So that their reaction in the water is an automatic behavior, instead of a lesson they learned.

There is definite evidence of what they are learning when they are swimming outside of the classes. They practice floating and strokes and such. I was like you and thought that they should be farther ahead than they are, but my expectations were probably unrealistic. If you don't like the coaches, that's a different problem, but easily remedied..

Daisygirl613 · June 2012

I have had both boys in swim lessons off and on since about 6 months old. We do group lessons at aqua tots. I feel like both boys learn so much. I def notice progress in the group environment. I have had Jax do some privates and he def gets a lot more from those, but we can't afford it on a regular basis.

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