teaching swimming to a kid afraid of the water?
heres the deal, i teach swim lessons for the local ymca (and yes, I’m red cross WSI certified) i have a kid in a private lesson who is terrified of the water. for the first lesson i just had him play with a ball in the water, but he still cried almost the whole time. he is about 9, and his mom won’t let him get out of the water until the time is up.. he doesnt want to learn, and is very afraid… any suggestions on how to teach him?
Every child is different and their reasons for fear-of-water can vary. It may not even be the water the child is reacting to, but the new enviroment of a noisy Swimming Pool with unfamiliar people and other kids. A fearful child is always a challenge for an instructor, and it is a very smart thing to do to ask other instructors how they might handle it.
You did the right thing in trying to get the child to play. Having the distraction of a toy is also a good idea.
Try to remember that fear of the water is not irrational. A non-swimmer with any smarts should be afraid of the water and the risk of drowning. Remember also that a swimming pool, though it may look small and unthreatening to you, may look like the storm-ravaged North-Atlantic Sea to a child. It may take some time for them to get used to it!
When I’ve had a fearful child in classes with several other students, I will put them on my hip and carry them around with me as I instruct the other students. If they are too large to do that, I might have them sit with the class or on the pool side close by. Never force or pressure a child who has genuine fear to perform an in-water task; you can simply reinforce or amplify their fear! At the same time, don’t coddle them or reinforce their negative behavior; give them as much attention as the other children, not more, as much as possible.
If you have an instructor-aid, they can help you with a fearful student by maintaining contact with them, holding hands or even carrying them.
I usually give it three or four days. Maintain a positive attitude yourself. Make the class fun for all the students. The fun aspect is contagious, and in many situations, the fearful child will eventually decide on their own that they want in on it! Let them play with the ball or toy, but keep their attention on you and the class as much as possible. You might ask the Mom to bring a familiar bath-toy from home for the child to play with during class. The interjection of something familiar may help.
If Mom is a distraction, the child is always looking to her ‘for rescue’, make it clear to her not to reinforce the child’s desire for ‘rescue’. She should probably not make eye contact with the child during class, and it might be a good idea for her to sit well away from poolside. Not completely out-of-sight, as that can raise other psychological issues! It is also legitimate to ask her if the child has had bad water experiences previously, or behaviour problems.
After three or four days with no improvement you will probably want to discuss the situation with the child’s mother. There may be problems at home or other situations making the child particularly reluctant to participate in a new activity. If your pool has the option of private lessons, you may want to suggest that. Parent-Child classes may be another alternative.
You do not have the training to be a child-psychologist. There is such a thing as ‘the law of readiness’. A child can only learn something if they are ready to learn. It might be wise for the child to withdraw from lessons and try again a couple of months (or even a year) down the road.
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Parents Of Overweight Kids: Take A Cue From Weight Loss Camps And Make Exercise Fun
Getting obese children to lose weight can be tough – children more easily lose interest with the fat-burning activities that adults typically have the self-control and focus to do on a regular basis. Treadmills, weight machines, and other types of exercise equipment are simply too repetitive to keep the interest of kids and teens these days.
Telling your child to go out and play when he is watching TV or playing video games will not usually have good results. A child moping on a porch step is no more active than one planted on a couch. One reason a weight loss camp is effective for children is because the camp directors realize that to make children exercise means giving them something real to do. A fat camp for kids has one activity after another which children willingly participate in because they don’t think of the activities as exercise.
Parents of overweight children should take a cue from weight loss camps and provide children with fun ways to exercise. You might be able to get your child to go on walks with you or even a jog. But for many children this doesn’t seem very fun. However, you can go on a bug hunt or go hiking in search of wildlife; for many children, this does sound like fun.
How often are you able to take your kids swimming? This activity is great exercise, and, even if you are able to go with your kids once a week, they could always benefit from the opportunity to swim more often.
Responsibilities such as walking the dog or playing fetch with the pet every day can create a routine daily activity your child doesn’t view as exercise. Do you take your child a few blocks to school every day? He might enjoy walking to and from school with neighborhood friends.
Getting the entire family involved is a great way to get an overweight child in shape. Games provide a fun way to burn calories. Try a game of charades, or if you are energetic enough, play hide-and-go-seek or even tag. Perhaps a family Bike Ride to the park or maybe a game of frisbee at the beach.
Every child is tempted to laze about in front of the TV when a friend comes over; it is your responsibility to make sure they are physically active. Take them to the park, the mall, or whatever you think might interest them.
Camping is both enjoyable and active for kids. With campgrounds or woods to explore children stay on the move (as long as parents leave the TV at home). Helping to set up a tent, gathering wood for a campfire and finding treasures and bugs keeps children moving for an entire weekend if you plan it right.
Many of the recommended activities require involvement from the whole family. Family involvement helps provide the motivation for exercise just as the kids and instructors at weight loss camps help provide fun and motivation. Additionally, it helps to keep everyone in shape. So turn off the television and enjoy getting into shape with your child!
About the Author
Joe Busch specializes in writing articles related to healthy weight loss for kids. He focuses on proper diets, exercise, and weight loss camps. Parents with children that struggle with their weight should consider weight loss camps for girls to jump start the process.
