Teach your kids to swim

[countrygirl12]

We just had 1 drowning and 1 almost drowning on the news this past weekend.  It's awful and sad.  The mom walked inside to get some swim trunks for another kid and the child drowned.

Being able to swim does not mean you will not drown.  There have been several over the past couple of years in my area where the person COULD swim but still ended up drowning.  All were in the lake.  Anything can happen.

[lbeery]

I am always amazed when people say they never learned to swim.  It is a survival skill and I think life would be scary with out knowing how.  Teach the kids to swim when they learn to walk.  It may keep them from drowning in an accident and will make them more confident people even if nothing bad every requires it.

[Penwoir]

I am already a pretty good, strong swimmer and so are my children, they are 8 and 10. There was an occasion in my life when I had to jump in to deep water and safe a life and I felt strongly that, as you never know when you might need to be a strong swimmer, you should learn anyway so I signed my kids up when they were 4+. I heard on the weather report once that if a child has not learnt to swim by the 4th grade, the chances are they likely never will. I thought this was a horrific statistic. So I say, start 'em early and they will learn to enjoy the water and not be afraid of it.

[pmagalei]

I am also a believer in this Idea. All of my boys are able to swim now but they are never alone in the swimming pool. My wife and I are always there when they do so. I think swimming is a survival skill and it is necessary in fact it is a requirement in the scouting program.

[Liquidfire_43]

I think that swimming is a necessary skill to have.. Just in case something goes wrong in larger bodies of water... To bad school education system doesn't mandated it.... I guess they don't have the funding for it

[gaylasue]

Seems like I can always remember swimming.  My mother took me to the YMCA to learn to swim when I was very young.  She never learned to swim and is afraid of the water.  I taught my daughter to swim she was 1 1/2 years old.  My husband never learned to swim.

[jenniferhoder]

Yes I completely agree with you. I do believe a lot of "accidents" could be prevented if kids learned to swim. Plus, it's great exercise too!!!

[carmexqueen]

I semi-taught my nephew how to swim last summer but he can't float with his floaties. He made me a proud Nanie because he jumped into the 8 ft and scared me but when I was swimming towards him he floated up and started kicking and swam to the other side of the pool.

[6265AT99]

As far as I'm concerned a child should learn to swim before they even walk - too many kids today drown in their own backyards!!!

[nannycoe1]

I can not swim, in fact I am terrified of water! I made sure all my kids and grandkids could swim. I wish I could swim.

[CharmedPhoenix]

My mom was afraid of the water, but somehow she was convinced to put me in swimming lessons.  She did wait though so I was ten and my classmates were five, but once I got over the initial fears I loved it.  I took every level including Junior Lifesaving.  I would have liked to go into synchronized swimming, but we only had a beginners class. 

I agree, it's an essential, lifesaving skill and everyone should get at least some basic training. 

On the other hand I never did get a bicycle and to this day do not know how to ride one.  Another basic skill of childhood, but not knowing how to ride two wheels won't get you killed like not knowing how to swim. 

[Skyenkit]

I know how to swim and I don't even remember how I learned it. When I was little we lived in the province which house close to the river so everyday we go and swim.

[ancmetro]

    Swimming is vital for basic survival!

[sanglee]

I remember learning to swim, at first I didnt think I could do it

[minioncookies]

I love to swim! I wasn't taught by my parents though.. Instead i was taught by a stranger who happened to go by the name of wayne. He started off everyday going to the vending machine and buying us a pop.. I guess he was known for that because everyone pretty much got pops from him.. Is that weird? I thought so at first.. But.. Anyways.. He stopped giving people pops one day and told us if we wanted the money we would have to get it out of the pool.. I wasn't one for pools.. I couldn't even swim i did love putting my feet in the water tho! However.. I learned to swim by him throwing the money in the pool.. I guess i wanted that soda that bad... Idk.. Maybe it was my time to learn to swim who knows but one day i dove right in the pool to get my money.. Yes it was scary but.. when i got the money i couldn't belive i did it! Woot woot .. I love swimming NOW .. Needless to say i do think everyone should teach their kids to swim.. Because sometimes things happen that you don't plan on happening and it can save your life.. Or someone else's..