We are home. The laundry is going, the bags unpacked, I’ve yet to get to the grocery store so we’re eating pasta and pb&j. We already miss the family. And Mamo’s pool.
I thought we’d spend our whole trip swimming, and we actually only got in a few times, what with all the other activities planned for us! When we did go, however, it was wonderful. The first day Milo clung to us when in the deep water, lifejacket and all, but even after just a couple days he was jumping in and paddling around by himself!
Eliot didn’t get in, but he sure did a good job lounging!
Pretty cute.
Milo’s big jumps. He would count “one, two, free, ex, why, zeeeee!”
and off he goes!
Makes me want to make sure to keep up on swimming all year round!
Maybe we’ll do classes at the REC center?
At what age should kids swim well? When did your kids learn to swim?
8 Comments
Very impressive (and oh so cute); neither of my kids will dare jump of anything. I think they are both getting close though.
Oh that looks delightful! I would definitely put him in swimming year round. It's such a great activity for them in so many ways, and now especially that you have two, the more comfortable he is in the water, the easier (and safer) time you'll have at the pool. Tate can go now with out me at all, deep end and all. I usually do a winter swim course and summer.
I don't know if there's an age as much as there is a good program or teacher. Our kids have taken tons of swimming lessons and they're either just NOT naturals or their teachers haven't pushed them enough because they still can't swim. G can keep herself from drowning, but it's for sure not "swimming" – desperate dog paddle is more like it!
My daughter who is four has been doing swimming lessons this summer, and it's been great with helping her not be afraid of the water. I learned in nursing school, though, that until kids are 5-6 their brain isn't developed enough to coordinate their arms and legs at the same time, so they can't truly swim until first grade or so. The pool by us has specific programs for preschoolers that are really fun and emphasize safety instead of just focusing on skills they can't master anyway.
Oh it was so wonderful to have the Andersons here! How I love you all! Thanks for posting all the photos! It was a Fun,Fun summer!
Hi, first of all, you have a wonderful blog! This is my first time leaving a comment, and yeah, it's an awsome blog! I've been reading it for a couple of months now, and I loved Project Baby… I want one of those count down tshirts! (32 weeks to go…)
I live in Darwin, Australia, and we don't really have winter here, so we get to swim pretty much all year around.
My daughter started swimming lessons at 7 months, just over ago now. We still go every Tuesday Arvo. She loves it! In saying that, she can't swim, but she can get her head above water and reach for the side of the pool.
Our teacher's daughter is an AMAZING swimmer, and she just turned 3, but she pretty much lives in the pool!
Your have an amazing blog and family!
This year!
Liam's been pretty independent in the water over the past couple of weeks, and we hope he'll start working on actual strokes next summer (age 5).
We met a girl at the pool this summer who is Liam's age and has been taking swimming year round since she was 18 months. Liam was much more comfortable and athletic in the water than she was and it convinced me that a lot of it is the kid, because this was Liam's first summer of actual classes (though we did a "mom and me" class at 18 months.) I enjoy taking the kids to the pool as a family in the winter sans swimming class and then having them take classes starting in either late spring/summer. That's my plan anyway.
don't pay for lessons till about 4-5 years old if they aren't afraid of the water and you can work/play with them in the pool.
Teach them to blow bubbles and put their heads under water and jump of the side to you… mommy and me are fun to, just if your willing to be in the water with them and they will work with you and they are comfy with you then save the money while you can.
Sam really wanted to do them this year but in the end was a bit shy of the instructor not the water so we worked together and he was happy… convinced me not to do lessons until at least 4-5 which is what I did with the older boys and they are little fish.