DIY Swimming Lessons

It is my personal belief that teaching your children to swim is one of the most important life-skills you can give them.  With any other sport, if they don't like it or can't do it well, it's not a big deal.  No one ever died from being bad at soccer, right?  But swimming is another matter.  Yes, you could avoid situations in which you'd have to swim.  But what happens if your child falls into a lake?  Tips over in a boat?  Heck, with all the flooding going on recently, what if your child has to swim for his/her life?  I encourage every parent out there to start their kids out right when it comes to water safety and adjustment.  Take them to a parent/tot class.  Sign them up for swimming lessons as soon as they turn 4.  Make them stick with it until they at least pass level 4 in the RC program, whether they like it or not. 

I do understand, however, that not everyone has access to a good Red Cross swimming program, for geographical or financial reasons.  Even without that resource, it's possible to start your child off on the right foot when it comes to learning to swim.  You can teach your child to swim yourself in your own backyard or local pool by following the steps outlined in this article:

DIY Swim Lessons for Kids: A Guide For Parents

Keep in mind that all children will go at their own pace, but that motor-skill development is fairly predictable among children 0-5 years of age, so your child is probably physically capable of the skills mentioned in each section. 

Have fun swimming!