As I emerged from the car, the atmosphere was filled with the wailing of children crying out for their mothers. I moved to the back passenger side, unbuckled my son, and planted a gentle kiss on his forehead as I lifted him from his car seat. Clutching my shirt with one hand and sucking on his pacifier with the other, he seemed undisturbed by the chaotic noise around us. I retrieved his diaper bag from the front seat and closed the car door behind us.
We made our way to the gate, which I unlocked to enter the pool area. As we walked along the red brick path, the swimming instructor acknowledged us from the pool, busy with another young student. I settled at a nearby picnic table, seating my son on my lap. A fellow parent guided me to a file box filled with folders. I was instructed to locate my child’s folder, complete the necessary paperwork, and hand it to the instructor when it was time for his lesson.
The lessons occurred daily from Monday to Friday, each lasting 10 minutes, and we were required to arrive 15 minutes early. It was a well-rehearsed routine. The instructor remained in the pool throughout, while experienced parents were always on hand to assist newcomers.
As I filled out the daily questions in the folder, my son watched the other kids with a bright smile. He seemed content. I removed his shoes, switched him into a swim diaper and bathing suit, and took out the towels from our bag. We waited patiently for his lesson to commence.
The little girl in the preceding lesson, approximately two years old, had cried throughout her time in the water. The instructor remained unfazed, continuing with her lesson. In that moment, I wondered how my son would respond during his first lesson and felt a wave of relief that he was only six months old, thus unlikely to vocalize his distress.
Before long, the instructor signaled for us to approach. She directed me to lay out two towels on the pool deck, where I sat my son down. He dipped his feet into the water, splashing joyfully. The instructor reviewed the paperwork I had completed and then lifted him into the pool. Initially, she walked him around to acclimate him to the water, and he responded by splashing and grinning widely.
Suddenly, without warning, she submerged him completely. In that instant, I felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness. My heart dropped, and I instinctively rose from my seat. As my son resurfaced, he was screaming, clearly distressed and searching for me. The instructor gently patted his back, offering comfort as he collected himself.
The initial days of watching the lessons were among the most challenging experiences of my parenting journey. I felt powerless as I observed from the sidelines, unable to console my child during his tears. His expressions of confusion and fear tore at my heart, and I masked my concern with a supportive smile, cheering him on whenever our eyes met. Ultimately, I found solace in my decision to enroll him in swim lessons at such a young age, knowing that these survival skills could potentially save his life.
Drowning can occur in as little as an inch of water within a minute and is often silent, without warning. According to the CDC, drowning ranks among the leading causes of accidental deaths globally, particularly for children and adolescents under 19. From 2005 to 2009, the highest drowning rates in the U.S. were among children aged 1 to 4, with drowning being the second most common cause of death in this age group. For children aged 5 to 9, it was the second leading cause of injury-related death, and for those under one year and between 10-19 years, it ranked third.
By the end of the third day of swimming lessons, my son had stopped crying altogether. I like to think he was trying to reassure me, as if he understood the importance of acquiring these vital swimming skills. He appeared to enjoy the lessons, and by the end of the session, he had successfully graduated from the first level. He learned how to float on his back, roll over if he found himself face down in the water, and perform these skills even while fully clothed, including in a diaper and shoes. We would need to return every six months for refresher courses and yearly lessons to build upon the skills he had already learned.
Now, at 5½ years old, my son loves swimming and has no recollection of the tears from those early lessons. He has become a confident swimmer and diver. I believe that starting swim lessons at six months old empowered him, instilling body awareness, comfort in water, and self-confidence to explore new challenges.
While many were skeptical about enrolling my infant in swimming lessons, I knew it was the right choice. I was determined to prevent my son from becoming a drowning statistic. Drowning is preventable through swimming survival skills, vigilant supervision, and acquiring water safety knowledge, which I have taken to heart.
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In summary, my decision to enroll my son in swimming lessons, despite his initial aversion, proved to be beneficial. He overcame his fears and gained vital skills that empowered him as a confident swimmer. Drowning prevention starts early, and every child should have the opportunity to learn these life-saving skills.
Keyphrase: swimming lessons for infants
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