The door opens and in walks one of your most interesting challenges – a toddler who is obsessed with cleanliness. This student just cannot tolerate the feeling of having dirty hands or feet and it makes the classes that he’s in very interesting – to say the least.
Let’s clarify that this is generally a phase. Most toddlers with this proclivity grow out of it. So their obsession may not continue in to their adulthood, according to a paediatric psychiatrist at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.
So whether it’s a child who cannot stand the feel of the floor on the pool deck or one who constantly thinks his hands are dirty and needs to wash them, these are issues that you have to deal with with some students until they outgrow them.
It just happens that some toddlers have a “greater degree of inhibition when it comes to new sensations or situations” or more clearly, “They take longer to get used to new things.”
Sometimes you can help them through this by demonstrating that these sensations that are uncomfortable for them are harmless and can actually be fun. Of course, each illustration should fit each child’s situation. Helping the child in this way can also help to mitigate interruptions, may prove to be helpful for the entire class and provide good group activities.
The parental role in the swim class can help that process as you ease the child along in his acceptance of new things.
If the child’s sensitivity seems extreme and they are not responding to illustrations by parents and teachers, it may be best to consult a pediatrician.
Little Otter Swim Schools’ expertise and passion for teaching swimming to children makes the two locations of the schools the perfect places for children to learn to swim. www.littleotterswim.com
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