tiredwithtwins

jeez, Ray really knows how to throw the insults doesnt he???

you still in the uni library bundy?

sue

Bob

That's a good one...

though it can be unfair to the monkeys

Don

Took my eldest kid swimming again this morning. He's getting pretty good - not bad for 3 years 8 months. He can do a very effective doggy paddle for about 4 metres, only thing is that's with his face down in the water not taking a breath.Hopefully if he fell in a lake/ canal etc he could get to the side.

Bob

Nice
I had a mate that couldn't swim but when he saw us guys swimming thought it was a piece of piss so jumped in, sank like a rock and almost drowned *l*

Don

He can dive for pebbles, too - being buoyant you have to push him down the bottom but he's very cool about retrieving stuff.

Bob

Yeah, mate didn't see the funny side of things, neither did we after we finally bothered to dive in and try pull his fat arse out of the water

Don

Actually what got us worried was our 3 weeks in Thailand this year in spring. My boy had something of a deathwish, ie he would jump into the 2 metre deep hotel pool despite no swimming ability and expect daddy to rescue him.

So as soon as we got back home: swimming lessons 3 times a week plus outings to the pool with dad.

We also just bought the adjoining house to our weekend dacha, which has a swimming pool - first thing I will do when we take possession in October is erect a proper poolside toddler-proof fence á la Aus/ NZ model.

lynnxa

they all do that at first

what you really need to teach him is to do a 'starfish' on his back (like a star jump) - then if he's ever in trouble he will automatically get into that position

Bob

That's how my brother was taught to swim, just thrown in the pool and either figure it out and swim or drown *l*
It worked...

Don

Tell me more. Is that floating on his back?

lynnxa

exactly - floating on his back with arms & legs outstretched forming an X type shape, like this


to help him, just support his head & get him to look straight up at the sky - you'll be amazed how quickly he'll learn.

My girls have been swimming since babyhood, yet still, if my 5 year old gets a bit tired in the deep end - I just yell 'STARFISH' and she gets into the position until she recovers

Don

Cheers, XC, and how young did your kids start (really) swimming?

lynnxa

Really really swimming - the youngest was about 3 1/2 - but we had our own pool by then so that helped - she could do about 10m with a sort of breast stroke (good arms - dodgy legs). Now at just 5 she's trying her arms at backstroke, though she still prefers to swim under water.
My 8 year old was about 4 - I know she was swimming before she started school at 4yrs 2mths. She had lessons in the local pool in UK. This summer she's learned to dive in our pool & has been glued to the diving at the Olympics.
We say 'tienen los pies como patos'
IMO - teaching your child to swim is sooooooo important. I have been teaching the children of some of our friends this summer - I tend to 'push' them to do things that their parents might not, and they'll usually do things for someone else that they won't do for their parents.

Don

That Ian Thorpe has got BIG patos.

lynnxa

big ducks???
what does he do with them