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OT: Swimming lessons for kids (swim-to-john technique)

thad23

thad23

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Sep 29, 2006
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My kids are in the process of getting lessons. 2nd day - find out the instructor is using Swim to John "technique." Lots of crying today. Kids are almost 7 and 5. Instructor teaches swimming as a career. Told us there will be crying until they get used to the water more. No problem. We'll abide by the process.

Anyone familiar with the teaching technique? Feedback. Lots of good reviews online, but just curious. Thanks in advance.

Youtube video --
 
I don't know much about the technique but if you are getting lessons now at 7 and 5 I would assume the kids have not been around water much and that alone would cause anxiety no matter what the technique. I have to believe that stopping at this point, even if it is to schedule with another instructor will just lead to more anxiety and fear of the water.

I live in Florida and pools/ocean/water is all over the place so kids learn to swim much earlier - usually around 3 and even then they are very comfortable in the water because its part of life. I would help teach kids (boy scouts) to swim prior to going away to camp in 5th grade. These kids that never swam until then were a nightmare. Keep up the lessons and no matter how traumatic they will be safe and enjoy the water after they are done.
 
Oh, I'm going to keep it up. We have a pool in our yard so they've been around water all their lives. They have just been using floaties. There wasn't maybe as much crying as I may have stated. Just going to trust the process. Instructor is good with them and does this for a living. Just not how I remembered learning. lol
 
We've tried to get our son enrolled in this type of training (ISR) but the classes are always full and we would have to drive an hour round trip for a couple weeks to find someone and actually complete the training. My SIL's kids did ISR at very young ages and said it was great.
 
kjb32812 said:
We've tried to get our son enrolled in this type of training (ISR) but the classes are always full and we would have to drive an hour round trip for a couple weeks to find someone and actually complete the training. My SIL's kids did ISR at very young ages and said it was great.
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Good to know. Thanks. Instructor comes to our house and does one on one instruction with our kids.
 
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I had lessons at the old YMCA in New Brunswick. Each day we had a half hour of lessons and then another 2 hours of everybody trying to drown each other playing around in the pool. Swimming Darwinism.
 
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If in built-in pool let them get acclimated to low end, after a while they will go under water on the stairs. Encourage them to see if they can swim under water to stairs and they will keep trying. Stupidly it will carry over to baths as well. The last couple years I brought my 6 yr old in deep end with tube. Last year she jumped off diving board with tube on. I tried to plant her in the middle of the pool in the deep end and explain to swim to sides the shortest route available. Their 1st inclination is to swim to low end....she wasn't ready. This year at 6 on her own she's jumping off diving board and spending most of her time swimming in the deep end w/o ant floatation. They just need confidence in themselves , pushing them too hard only slows down the process

Now I put her in the middle if the pool in deep end let her go and ask her where she's going to swim to if she's in trouble. She's past the fear and gets the safety aspect of things as well
 
I'm not familiar with swim to John technique but there is often crying. It does get better. We are always around water so it was important for our girls to know how to swim. Remember older one crying during lesson then 4 years later qualifying for junior Olympics. Younger one began competitive swimming at 5. I remember being ar Disney when she was 5. Back then she was tiny so lifeguards insisted she pass a swim test. When lifeguard asked her to swim to other side of pool and back she asked if it was ok to do butterfly over and breast stroke back. Lifeguard was speechless. So keep up the lessons. It gets better and may save a life done day. Both daughters are now lifeguards and one had to pull someone out.
 
Just don't let them get competitive with it(I kid). Swim meets are brutal when they're young, my niece and nephew are competitive swimmers and quite good ages 13 and 14. Started when they were young maybe 5 or so. Anyway a hot indoor pool, loud echoes from cheering/kids yelling and chlorine smell for 5 hours is brutal. You sit for 30 minutes they swim for 2min. then wait again. They always made it to the finals and it became a 5 hour torture chamber. Needless to say I know the outside layout of pretty much every community college in the State of NJ including Delaware.
 
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When I was 6 or 7 I went out on a raft with
my older brother, at Seaside Heights, my
other brother was on a raft 20 feet away.
My brother was pushing me off our raft, I cried" I
can't swim," He said well learn. Pushed me
off and paddled away, I swam to my other
brother's raft, needless to say I made it.
that's how we learned in the 1950's.
Today? My daughter is a director for a swimming
school, can't believe what people pay for
swim lessons.
 
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koleszar said:
Just don't let them get competitive with it(I kid). Swim meets are brutal when they're young, my niece and nephew are competitive swimmers and quite good ages 13 and 14. Started when they were young maybe 5 or so. Anyway a hot indoor pool, loud echoes from cheering/kids yelling and chlorine smell for 5 hours is brutal. You sit for 30 minutes they swim for 2min. then wait again. They always made it to the finals and it became a 5 hour torture chamber. Needless to say I know the outside layout of pretty much every community college in the State of NJ including Delaware.
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You are right about swim meets being brutal. That is one reason why I became an official; something to do during all of the downtime. People would always question why I would do this when each daughter would spend probably no more than 3-5 minutes total in a meet swimming actual events (unless swimming a long distance event).
 
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rubaseball78 said:
You are right about swim meets being brutal. That is one reason why I became an official; something to do during all of the downtime. People would always question why I would do this when each daughter would spend probably no more than 3-5 minutes total in a meet swimming actual events (unless swimming a long distance event).
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I have definitely felt your pain. I haven't left one of these things without having a splitting headache. Smart move on becoming an official definitely a great way to pass the time until your daughters swim again. Me I just take a long stroll around campus and my wife texts me when it's almost time for them to swim again.
 
NickKnight 1 said:
When I was 6 or 7 I went out on a raft with
my older brother, at Seaside Heights, my
other brother was on a raft 20 feet away.
My brother was pushing off our raft, I cried I
can't swim, He said well learn. Pushed me
off and paddled away, I swam to my other
brother's raft, needless to say I made it.
that's how we learned in the 1950's.
Today? My daughter is a director for a swimming
school, can't believe what people pay for
swim lessons.
Click to expand...
 
rubaseball78 said:
You are right about swim meets being brutal. That is one reason why I became an official; something to do during all of the downtime. People would always question why I would do this when each daughter would spend probably no more than 3-5 minutes total in a meet swimming actual events (unless swimming a long distance event).
Click to expand...
Yes they are, I took my daughter for many many years. My wife worked
nights and week ends, now I take my grandson, my daughter works
nights and weekends. But the wrestling was even worst when I took
my son for years, while my wife worked, now I take my grandson
to his meets and tournaments. I'm as busy as I was 30 years ago.
But the rewards are great, I also take him to his football, baseball,
and basketball.
 
thad23 said:
Oh, I'm going to keep it up. We have a pool in our yard so they've been around water all their lives. They have just been using floaties. There wasn't maybe as much crying as I may have stated. Just going to trust the process. Instructor is good with them and does this for a living. Just not how I remembered learning. lol
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In a cranky mood due to flight delays...but you have a pool and your kid is still using floaties at age 7? Sorry...that's weak parenting
 
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Scarlet1984 said:
In a cranky mood due to flight delays...but you have a pool and your kid is still using floaties at age 7? Sorry...that's weak parenting
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Well, not quite 7 yet. More like 6 1/2. He HAD been using floaties. He's short and can now touch the bottom of the shallow end on tippy toes.

But thanks for your input. Hope your flight got cancelled.
 
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thad23 said:
Well, not quite 7 yet. More like 6 1/2. He HAD been using floaties. He's short and can now touch the bottom of the shallow end on tippy toes.

But thanks for your input. Hope your flight got cancelled.
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Getting your kids to learn to swim as early as possible should be a top priority in every household.
 
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I agree. Last summer they were 5 1/2 and 3 1/2. We felt they were not ready then. That's why we are having them learn now.
 
This is fascinating to me.
I have no recollection of learning to swim.

My family always spent vacations and weekends on the beach in Ocean City and I do remember swimming / being held by my parents in the Ocean as a baby or toddler. I remember climbing onto my Dad's shoulders and diving off. Swimming seems like walking. You don't learn it, you just do it naturally.
 
Scarlet16E said:
This is fascinating to me.
I have no recollection of learning to swim.

My family always spent vacations and weekends on the beach in Ocean City and I do remember swimming / being held by my parents in the Ocean as a baby or toddler. I remember climbing onto my Dad's shoulders and diving off. Swimming seems like walking. You don't learn it, you just do it naturally.
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So all those swim team fees I've paid I didn't need to pay? I should fave told both girls it should just come naturally?
 
Leonard23 said:
Manasquan address:
http://www.siltonswim.com
1701 ATLANTIC AVE
MANASQUAN, NJ, 08736
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Yes, I don't think there is Wall Post Office.

And you BETTER have it postmarked by the correct date or there will be hell to pay. The woman behind the counter at the Manasquan Post Office is very familiar with the yearly harried Shore mom request of, "Please make sure this gets to Silton in time!" LOL
 
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Two of my kids learned around 3.5-4 years old. Both wore swimmies until then. They took lessons but I thought i was a waste. So i took the swimmies off and let them learn in the pool. Both took 2-3 days then were swimming like fish. Doesn't need to be complicated. Just take baby steps and don't take your eyes off of them. My youngest is 20' months. I'll teach him next summer.
 
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