DS 9- Swimming with a vest

[Kerry's Girls]

First of all, I was speaking about typical functioning children. I have a MA in Special Education.

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That is my point - you had no way of knowing if the OP had a typical child when you posted your "I don't know any 9 year old who can't swim" comment - what an awful thing to say.

[Athankfulheart]

We bring swim vests with us when needed. Shouldn't be any problem.

When we owned a pool, I taught my older children to swim. I found that TIME in the water made them stronger swimmers much moreso than the crowded, noisy and brief swim lessons. I consider them safe to be in the water, with me on land nearby when they could swim a lap above water and a lap under water. Before then, they would only be in the water with me hands on, or with my hands off and wearing a swim trainer.

 

Fast Forward to my younger kids. We didn't own a pool and rarely had an opportunity to go swimming. We do a lot of stuff, but swimming was rare. We recently found an affordable family gym in our area and we are able to swim more often as a result. I have a 10yo who is using a swim fin and doing fairly well. She needed time to be comfortable in the water and not be afraid to get her face wet. I have an 8yo who has hated water all of his life. He now enjoys the water but is not as well progressed as his 10yo sister. My 6yo will be the first of the three to swim independently because he is fearless and willing to keep on trying. He uses a swim vest or the fin.

I am not even bothering to sign them up for the lessons which are affordable but crowded and chaotic. I am waiting to see what kind of progress we make on our own and then will add the private lessons if need be to have all 3 dog paddling across the pool and swimming well underwater before we cruise again in January. I find that adequate for a "non swimmer".

[Nebr.cruiser]

Of course you can bring and use your son's life vest, both on the ship and at the beach. No one will care or likely even notice. We did this when our grandchildren were younger.

 

I do agree, however, that 'if possible' (I realize everyone has different time and financial restraints) all children should learn to swim and swim well.

 

I'm lucky (we live on a lake and often have 7 grandkids around) in that I am a former lifeguard and swim teacher, and I have taught all of them to swim. Still, we are as vigilant as humanly possible, once they graduate to not using a swim vest most of the time.

 

The one warning I can give (and this probably doesn't apply to the OP, or most parents) as a former life guard, is that water wings, floating toys (like mattresses, rings, etc.) and even life vests do not guarantee safety. I've had parents who either dropped their non-swimmers off at the pool with such things and left, or stayed with them but 'thought' the kids were safe since they had some kind of floatie, and paid little attention.

 

We finally had to ban most such things from the pool as non-swimmers would get into trouble by either taking them out too deep or not using them when they should have been, or various other scenarios. It actually made kids who couldn't swim, or barely swam, much less cautious because they 'thought' they were ok; the same goes for their parents.

 

I guess I'm just trying to emphasize that yes, of course use a life vest if appropriate, but (and I know you will) also be vigilant. And swimming is an important life skill!

[SUSIEK]

As long at the parents are there watching their child it should not be an issue. Especially if the child cannot swim.

[Athankfulheart]

I used to think that most parents were vigilant while watching kids in pools, until I joined my local rec center. I feel like I am the only one who is actively scanning to make sure each of them is doing well - swimmers and non alike. That makes me feel like a crazy person. I'll be a crazy person with no regrets tho :p.

 

I have several who aren't yet safe in the water and I take it very seriously. I don't think that they all need Olympic swimming skills, but I want them to be safe. When I watch them by myself, I stay OUT of the water so I have a birds eye view of everyone at once. That's the main reason why my children need some kind of floatation assistance. When my husband is with us, we divide and conquer and work on skills.