As a parent, we want to give our children a variety of gifts to help them succeed in life. We want them to be well-rounded adults, and hope by providing them with a variety of experiences as children, they will enjoy more throughout their lives.
One of those gifts is the enjoyment of being in and around water. Exposing babies to water at an early age will benefit them throughout their lives. It gives them the desire to swim and reduces the chances of developing a fear of water.
Fear of water rarely occurs in a very young child. It's usually developed over time. To ensure your child becomes comfortable in the water, consider these five tips.
1. Introduce your baby to the water as young as possible. Consider joining a parent-tot program. Babies are naturally comfortable in the presence of their parents. If they experience water for the first time with the assurance of a parent, the experience will be that much better.
2. Never force a child into the water. A swimming instructor will be able to assess your baby or child's needs, and recommend appropriate action to make sure she acquires a love of the water. Above all, let your child control her comfort zone. Swimming should be fun, not coerced.
3. Start by playing games. Babies learn quickly by playing games. They like to blow bubbles in their bath water, and play with a colorful fish. Bring these same toys into the pool. Show your child how much fun bubble blowing is in the pool. Show her how far her fish can swim. Is she sees you having fun; she's more likely to join in.
4. Introduce your child to the water in a quiet location. Instead of jumping into a pool filled with kids during the summertime break, find a location that offers a quite time to bond. Consider finding an indoor pool, and visiting during the middle of a school week. Or join a swim class, and introduce the pool with just a few other children in attendance. Remember, noise can sometimes add to the stress. Keep your beginning sessions as stress free as possible.
5. Show by example. A child will usually follow your cues and reactions. If you are comfortable in the water, she'll tend to relax as well. Plan a day out at the pool, and enjoy yourself. Don't just sit by the side; get in and join in the fun.
By starting early, your child will come to love the water. She'll be more comfortable as she's invited to water related events. And she may even turn swimming into a lifetime enjoyment.
That's really a gift worth giving.
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Michael Mann is co-founder of SwimLabs, a state of the art swim training facility, which provides swimmers with the most comprehensive swim instruction available today. For more information visit SwimLabs at
www.swimlabs.com
