The majority of babies and their families enjoy swimming every week and find it very rewarding to see their achievements. However, occasionally, even babies and toddlers that have always thrived in their lessons can hit a phase where they don’t seem to enjoy it as much. This can take parents by surprise and they often need advice on how to handle it. Of course, your Aquatots Teacher is highly trained and experienced in these matters and will work very closely with you to help settle your child until the phase passes naturally. It is important that you don’t despair and be patient, positive and reassuring to your child and praise everything they do with a huge warm smile on your face. Be confident that they will come out the other side and it is definitely worth persevering.
While your child is experiencing this anxiety, we will never submerge a crying, distressed or unhappy child and instead we simply find a way to adapt the skill so that you can still join in. For example, we may perform the skill on the surface, or include toys as part of the skill, or take a moment to play and make your baby laugh such as blowing bubbles in the water to make them smile or blow raspberries. Alternatively you can cut back the number of swims, maybe your child can handle one submersion but won’t like it if you try to do more. Sometimes it helps to just repeat a skill that they enjoy rather than what everyone else is doing.
Some experiences that parents might face
“ Why does my baby not like swimming? She has cried since week one and the other babies are happy. Am I doing something wrong?”
Don’t worry as this is not unusual. The large pool, the other babies and general noise, echoey acoustics in the pool, lots of exercise is a lot to take in and it can result in baby getting hungry and tired quickly. As you settle in, so too will your child.
“My two year old has hit a ‘no’ phase and won’t take part even though he always loved swimming.”
Your little one has previously enjoyed their lessons have hit a phase and stop wanting to take part. This can happen between the ages of 8 and 24 months and is a totally natural development stage. It might also happen because something has changed, for example new faces in pool or it may be that your toddler wants to find a way to assert themselves.
“Since starting nursery last month, he has been very clingy and grizzly. This has affected everything we have tried to do. Will it pass?”
This is not an usual occurrence. When small children start nursery, they can initially become very clingy and anxious for mum or dad’s attention. As your child becomes accustomed to their new routine, they will be back to their old selves again.
“ Since starting at our new pool with a new teacher, my little one has not been her usual self. The teacher is lovely but the class is fuller than what we are used to and the water is cooler.”
It is important to take time to settle into a new routine as things differ from one swim school to another. For example, some focus more on splash and play, others have a variety of different skills or just the new environment and teacher can be enough to unsettle your child. Be honest on booking and with your teacher about your current experience so that he/she knows to slow things down if needed and not assume that your child is used to the amount of swims that we do in class.
Teacher Tips
