Learn How To Swim 101: Confidence - Water Discovery

Learn How To Swim: Confidence - Water Discovery

Don't assume your children are confident in the water even if they have floaties (water wings) on. Confidence, when you learn how to swim, is always very important in new swimmers.

Little Swimmer With Floaties

But I have noticed over the years that it is common for inexperienced swimming instructors and parents to assume that because a child will jump into the water to them, that they are confident and can't understand why the child goes into a panic when they let them go in the water. "After all" is the comment, "they have floaties on".

It's a very poor assumption and is always untrue if they are afraid of you letting them go.

Here is a simple test: if a new swimmer with floaties (water wings) on, grabs at you even when appearing to willingly jump into the pool, they are not confident.

Wait... Get Your Lesson Plans Here

You need to Test their confidence by asking them to jump feet first into the water and not reach for you.

If they happily do this then you can talk to them about letting them go in the water. Tell them what you are going to do first. Then let them go quickly and grab just as quickly. If there is no panic you can the extend the time you let go a bit at a time.

If they panic or refuse to jump in the water feet first without grabbing for you they are not ready to be let go.

Simple

Enjoy     
Richard