So you’ve decided it’s time to put your child in swimming lessons. Either you’ve become worried about their safety around water, they’ve been begging you to join their friends at the water park all summer, or you simply want a constructive and healthy activity for them to try. When you lay out the options, it becomes clear you can either enroll your little one in a formal swim program or hire someone you know to give one-on-one lessons. While you might be tempted to go with the latter, especially if you could get a deal, this might not be in your or your child’s best interests. Here’s why.
Consistency and Reliability
If you have a neighbor who used to teach swimming lessons and is willing to do the same for your child, or a babysitter who says she knows CPR and can teach your child the basics, consider all the factors. First, has this person been formally trained as a teacher of kids’ swimming lessons? If not, you can’t trust that they’ve had up-to-date training themselves or know the best ways to work with your child.
Second, think about the logistics of using someone you know personally. What happens when that person gets sick or takes a vacation? Without a staff behind them, there’s likely no replacement who can step in as needed and keep your child’s lessons consistent. Establishing a schedule that’s reliable and you know won’t be changed (due to an illness, a conflicting appointment or something else) is really important. It helps your child feel secure in their schedule and able to count on swimming lessons as a consistent part of their week.
Duration and Repetition
Along these same lines, it can be tempting to lengthen each individual lesson when you’re using a friend or family member so you “get more out of each session.” But when your child is beginning to learn to swim, 30-minute classes are ideal. If you go much longer than this, your little one may burn out and experience muscle (and mental) fatigue. They can become frustrated and less inclined to show up to their lesson the next time. Most formal swim schools keep their lessons to 30 minutes for this very reason, and a qualified swim school instructor will notice signs of fatigue so they can respond to a child who is nearing their limit, and they’re tuned in to notice the signs as well.
Social Interaction and Peer Learning
Finally, it might sound nice to have one teacher for your one child. But if there are no other kids in the class, your little one will miss out on many of the benefits of social interaction. When children are enrolled in swimming lessons with other children, they learn to take turns, celebrate others’ accomplishments and have others celebrate their accomplishments too. They also build a sense of camaraderie with their peers, as they all learn and improve together.
While it might seem easier to hire your friend or family member who assures you they can teach your child to swim, remember this may not be the best route. Swimming is an important skill, and you want your child to master it while in qualified hands. If you’d like to learn more about our swimming lessons and swim school instructors, please contact us.
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