Children should learn to swim, either by taking swimming lessons or by having a parent teach them. The earlier a child knows how to swim, the better. All of my children knew how to swim by the age of 4, and it has greatly benefited them. I taught my oldest two daughters to swim, and when they were older they took advanced swim courses and joined a swim team. Rather than teaching my youngest child to swim, I enrolled her in swim lessons. Find out five valuable reasons your children should learn to swim.
1. Teach kids to swim for their safety
Safety is the most important reason that kids should learn to swim. Unfortunately, drowning claims about 3,533 lives a year, equaling about 10 fatalities a day. Children 14 and younger account for about 1in 5 of these numbers. In addition, for every 1 child that drowns, another 5 children get care form the emergency department for submersion injuries. Our children are priceless, and the likelihood of drowning can be reduced if our precious ones know how to swim.
2. Kids should know how to swim so they don’t fear water
We don’t want our children to be afraid of the water, and knowing how to swim should calm aquatic anxieties. When my daughter took swimming lessons, another little girl was afraid to jump in the water. By the end of the 6-week class, she was no longer fearful.
3. Kids should learn to swim so they can join their friends
Many activities revolve around swimming, especially in the summer. We don’t want our kids missing out on beach trips, water park outings, or pool parties because they don’t know how to swim. We also don’t want them to turn down social events because they are embarrassed by their lack of skill in the water.
It is important for children to get some form of exercise, and swimming is a great way for kids to have fun while getting a workout. Lap swimming is great, but water volleyball or anything that involves constant motion is great as well.
Not only can swimming save kids’ lives, it can help them save others’ lives. When they are old enough, children with good swimming skills can take courses to become a certified lifeguard. At the age of 15, children can take the American Red Cross Lifeguarding Course if they are able to pass the swimming requirements. A lifeguard is a great job to have as a teenager, and it could even turn into a career as an Aquatic Director or Swim Instructor.
Thanks to swim lessons, two of my daughters know how to swim laps and do flip turns, as well as perform the breaststroke, backstroke, and butterfly.
If you decide to teach your children to swim yourself, I highly recommend using a kickboard in the beginning. Good goggles purchased from a sports store are a must to prevent burning eyes and blurry vision. Swim caps will help keep kids’ hair out of their faces and prevent it from getting drenched.
Turn your princesses or princes into a mermaids or mermen by making sure they know how to swim well.
More by Rebecca Bardelli:
Four Things You Shouldn’t Do when Your Child is Participating in Athletic Activities
Help Toddlers and Young Children Communicate and Express Emotions
