Swim lesson

bingbongsmama · September 2013

Hello, I have enrolled my almost 3
year old in swim class. She really enjoys it except she hates getting water on her head (washing her hair is an ordeal). She won't participate in blowing bubbles or allowing the instructor to get her head wet at all.

Without being forceful and upsetting her, is there a gentle way to encourage her to move past these fears so she can develop these skills and move onto the next level with her peers?

Emerald27 · September 2013

Do you know why she doesn't want the water on her head? Does it feel funny or does she not like it in her eyes? Is she afraid of it? If you know why she doesn't like it, that'll help you figure out how to help her move past it.

If you are there with her and do it too, does that help? I would think that whatever your approach, starting it at home in the bath might be less difficult than starting at the pool. Is this the sort of thing where you know some of the other mamas and can ask them how they helped their toddlers adjust to the water on their heads/faces?

DS also really hates water on his head and he hate hate hates it in his eyes. If I am very careful to keep it out of his face, he does better. I hear ya on this one!

ReeceFamily · September 2013

LO is currently doing infant self-rescue swim lessons and cries through the lessons

. It's tough to watch her cry but worth it since we have a pool (and the lessons are only 10 minutes long). The instructor requested that we make sure to get her used to water on her face/ head during bath-time (when water is warmer), so that she gets used to it. So...it's a very common issue. I am wondering if, since your LO is older, it is partly a lack-of-control issue. Can you maybe get her to pour water over her own head so that she is in control of the amount and timing? Maybe take a bath with her and pour water over your own head, and make a game of it? Get her to follow suit?

blathnat · September 2013

My DS has been in swimming lessons since he was about a year. He didn't like going under at first, and he still isn't thrilled about having water on his head in the bath. I try to make it silly. In the pool I model going under for him and make sure I come up laughing and smiling. That will often get him to try. But if he tells me "no under" we back off for that lesson. In the tub, I try to be silly about it, when it is time to wash his hair I splash him a little and say watch out for the hurricane and dump the water on him while giggling and laughing... he usually will laugh and I can wash it quick.

bingbongsmama · September 2013

Thanks for the replies. The funny thing is she splashes in the tub and gets water all her over face and in her eyes. PP might be right about it being a control thing. She adores playing in the pool and can't wait to go back, it's just her not wanting to get her head in the water will prevent her from learning to swim.
I'm going to experiment with seeing if she will pour water out of a little watering can on her head herself.

neverblushed · September 2013

My kids both had serious issues with putting their faces in the water. Otherwise, they liked swimming, liked the water, and liked taking swimming lessons. Despite refusing to blow bubbles or put their faces in the water at age 3, both could swim well by age 5. DD still took until about 6 1/2 until she was really okay with going under water, but by 7 she swam like a FISH!

Two things helped: 1) gentle encouragement without pressure or nagging and 2) wearing goggles. At 3, neither of my kids would wear goggles. When they were closer to 4 or 5, they could wear goggles and it really helped.

musicalmama5 · September 2013

ReeceFamily said:

LO is currently doing infant self-rescue swim lessons and cries through the lessons . It's tough to watch her cry but worth it since we have a pool (and the lessons are only 10 minutes long). The instructor requested that we make sure to get her used to water on her face/ head during bath-time (when water is warmer), so that she gets used to it. So...it's a very common issue. I am wondering if, since your LO is older, it is partly a lack-of-control issue. Can you maybe get her to pour water over her own head so that she is in control of the amount and timing? Maybe take a bath with her and pour water over your own head, and make a game of it? Get her to follow suit?

This is exactly what I was going to say. A 3 year old is at the age where she needs to feel in control of her life. And you don't want to discourage that either! Especially in a girl.

TiffanyBerry · September 2013

DD is the exact same and has been forever. Two things have helped - a stretchy swim cap (not the latex kind, but spandex fabric) in her favorite color (bright orange!) and goggles, and *gentle* pushing. She hates her hair getting wet, and most of her face (unless she does it herself, of course), so we pour water on her shoulders or the very bottom back of her hair - not over the head. So, she doesn't quite get her way (NO WATER NEAR MY HEAD!!), but it's only one small step away from that.

Other than that, we are not pushing. (Well, outside of the occasional hair washing... she detests that as well.) For DD, it's not entirely control - she won't intentionally EVER put water on her own head, but will incidentally splash herself in the face in the tub occasionally. I think it's a sensory thing for her.

Angela814 · September 2013

DD1 was a lot like that. I don't think she put her face in the water until 2 years into swimming lessons. She started at 3 yo. At 6 yo she would do bobs under water but wouldn't even try to dive for rings. She didn't like jumping into the deep end at all. Then she turned 7 at the beginning of this summer, and last month was jumping off the diving board. She's starting to swim putting her face in the water. She'll dive under for rings. It's like everything she's done. There's like a light switch moment where she'll decide she wants to do something. It was like that for walking, falling asleep by herself, riding a bike without training wheels, and swimming.

I'd say give it time. Encourage her during free play time in the pool, but let her move forward when she's ready.

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