Swimming progress – Emmy moves up

Swimming lessons are something I was adamant the children would have from an early age. It’s such an important skill for children to learn so I signed both Emmy and Harry up for lessons from 9 months of age.

Early swimming lessons are more getting the children used to being in the water, getting them confident splashing around in the water and happy to get their faces wet. Parents go into the water with their child, hold them, sing songs and play games. Its a lovely experience for both parents and children but I have to admit I was so glad when Harry was nearly 3 and able to go into the pool on his own.

Both Emmy and Harry love their swimming lessons although they are shattered from school by they time they hit the pool on a Monday evening.

Harry moved up into the big pool around 4 months ago, moving from an Orange hat to a Yellow hat. This means all his lessons are now in the main pool where he can’t touch the floor.

He absolutely loves his lessons, is great at taking instruction although did struggle with the teacher not being in the pool with them anymore and her standing at the side instead. It didn’t take long to adjust and he now can’t wait for his lessons, jumping in happily without fear and even stopping wearing his goggles as he is ‘too big’ for them.

He is able to swim confidently half a length of the pool on his back with no swimming aids and also on his front, although he needs to concentrate on getting his bum in the air so his legs don’t sink downwards – this will come with time, he also recently gained his 5m swimming badge.

Emmy had been in Green hats which is stage 4 for around 19 months and was recently beginning to get disheartened with her lack of progress.

She’d been in the class so long that she thought she was never moving up and had been asking to miss lessons and to give up completely, swimming s something she loves – there was that one period when she turned from angel to devil and back again but it was short lived.

I’ve told her I would like her to carry on until they learn to swim with their clothes on, that way if she were to accidently fall into water she would be confident in getting out and saving herself. Wet clothes are completely different to swimming in a costume and I want to make she is able to learn that skill too.

Last week she was insisting she didn’t want to go as she was too tired, another pep talk of just do your best was given and she did…..and gained her new swimming hat and certificate for passing stage 4!

She has now moved up to stage 5 and is a light blue hat. She was completely over the moon and bounced all the way home.

Her first lesson was yesterday and she smashed it. She did so well keeping up with the other children who have been in this class for months already, she over took some of them on her lengths and she tried her very hardest.

Currently her enthusiasm is back for her much loved swimming lessons, there is no I don’t want to go and she is so excited. Her certificate is tucked into her school bag and she can’t wait for Friday when she can take it into school and show in the Headmasters assembly.

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