Kids Can't Swim: Bad Parenting?

In My Humble Opinion
41

My father imparted to me his philosophy on swimming a few years ago:

“I put you kids around water so much as kids that you had NO choice but to learn how to swim.”

I plan to have the same philosophy with the Butlerette, and any children yet to be developed.

We did learn to swim, so well, that I think nothing of heading to the pond by myself after work. (We’ve a private beach lot in our neighborhood, and no, it’s not a ritzy neighborhood) My brother has partly financed his “extra money” with lifeguarding, and instruction at the Boy Scout camp over the summer, which would not have been possible without the knowledge of swimming.

I also am, as a result, comfortable on any watergoing vessel, arounds piers, ponds, lakes, streams, and pools. I feel comfortable having less able folks (swimming wise) around in those situations as well, as I’ve been trained (Red Cross) to save them from their own lack of ability.

I’m of the opinion that it is irresponsible not to give kids this skill, but since I’m only responsible for educating my family, it’s none of my business what other parents do with their kids… but I don’t want to hear them go on, and on, and on, and on, when their precious child goes under, due to their lack of swimming ability/good sense (if you can’t swim, it doesn’t make sense to be anywere NEAR the water, it’s dangerous! for example, I don’t know how to use explosives, it would be dangerous for me to be near them.)

>But for people who don’t have their kids near water, its no more irresponsible than me not teaching my kids how to downhill ski.

I’ve never fallen onto a mountain, and had skiing be the only safe way down.

42

When I was in elementary school, we had co-ed swim classes for a semester in the fourth or fifth grade (ages 9-11 or so).

We were split into skill groups, with a short swimming test on the first day. I was skittish about jumping into water (as I had a tendency to slip and break bones at that age) and so I was relegated to the “hopeless” group and left to play water games with my three best friends (also skittish). The other groups were taught new strokes, and taken off the diving board. My group wasn’t allowed out past the 3.5’ marker.

So much for LEARNING anything, we just played splashing games and “dive for coins”. I guess I could’ve learned to swim if I had actually been taught something.

I never spent much time around water as a kid, so I didn’t have much call for the skill. I can certainly survive, if needed, in water, but I’m not a swimmer.

43

I was put in swimming lessons as a child and absolutely hated them. The idea of water was okay and shallow water was okay, but going underwater and all was awful for me. After much complaining, my parents removed me from the classes and now, 23 years later, I still can’t swim a lick. That’s fine, though, because I’ve really never much been interested in pools and I never lived on a lake or anything like that. Honestly, I rarely notice any effects at all.

My school, by the way, never required swimming of any kind during my tenure. We didn’t have a pool on the premises and never went to the public pool in town. I graduated in 1995 and never once had to touch water.