July 18, 2013
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Do You Know How to Swim?
The reason I'm taking so many pictures of my little grand-daughters' swimming lessons is because their mom is in the middle of a divorce, and she has to work so cannot be there.
I got to thinking about swimming lessons. I think my brother and I took lessons when I was about 10 and he was 7. We took them at the Colorado Lagoon. To get there we had to walk to the bus stop at 4th and Walnut, get on the bus, and ride to the end of the line, which was the lagoon. There was a big building there that housed the skeleton of a whale. I remember walking through and looking up at it. I think it's still around there somewhere, but not sure. I remember reading that it's in a museum now. Anyway, I don't remember much about the lessons themselves. I didn't like, and still don't, putting my face in the water. I know how you're supposed to swim, but I do a modified dog paddle instead. I don't remember ever being afraid of the water, but I don't like to jump into a pool.
How and when did you learn to swim?
Comments (19)
my mom has always been terrified of water and that is why she made us take swimming lessons at the city pool.the river near us is really swift and I almost lost a kid one time but a male friend grabbed him and that same day a grown man drowned in the same place and they found his body miles down the river on the banks.it's good to be afraid of the ocean and water.
my mom tried to teach us in the creek behind the barn. It was barely waist deep and the hole wasn't very long. When I got to college we all had to take a swimming test as freshmen. It was swim the length of the pool in only so many seconds - I don't remember how many. I thought I could do it faster if I didn't take a breath so I swam the whole length without turning my head to get a breath. I flunked the test because they thought I didn't know how to breath while doing the "American crawl!"
I took lessons as a child but was always a bit afraid--I can swim but not all that well. I'm comfortable in a pool though.
my father thought throwing us in the water and saying sink or swim was the way to go. my mother did send us to swimming lessons. you really needed to know how to swim if you lived on the lake!
@oldfatgramma - That's an extreme way of teaching a kid to swim.@stephensmustang - I'm the same as you. I love the water, but don't swim well.@rnjennison - Did you have to take the swimming class, or did they give you another chance?@Texasjillcarmel - Ella is a little cautious, but Evie has no fear at all. Her dad took them on the boat (no life jackets) and she fell into the water. He didn't notice, but his girlfriend was along and she rescued Evie, thank God. That's why I'm taking them for swimming lessons. I don't trust him.
that is so scary.
@ata_grandma - yeah, i didn't have the nerve to speak up. I enjoyed the class except that it was at 7:30 in the morning on the far south end of campus and I had 10 minutes between classes to get to the north end for my next class and this was in the winter. In the swimming class they made us use a paddle board so that all we had to propel us was our kick. I found out that my kick was so bad that I actually backed up when all I did was kick
I don't really swim either. I enjoy watching my grandchildren swim. They have so much fun.
I took lessons for a couple of years. I am certain I never got farther than Level 4 in the Red Cross levels. We swam in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Mombasa, and we swam in pools when we got a chance. When I was a kid I could put my face in the water, but I seem to have forgotten how now, and I get water in my nose every time I try.I've been watching the kids, and getting a tan, as the pool is outside, with no shade right around it, and the sun has been blistering. Note to self: Try to get earlier lesson times next year. 11-12 am is simply too hot!
Not only do I know how to swim, but have also been certified to be a lifeguard. Never did get a job as one, just wanted to take the course. And I was active in water sports at the time. Thought it might come in handy.
I went to a swim lesson when I was little, also at YMCA.But like you, I didn't like it and it sucked. Every time I had to do the swim with overhead, I never could go straight. I tend to lean toward left side, because I'm a lefty and it was pretty strong.I do recall those boards. It was awesome. My fiance taught our two older children when we had the pool. He just made them do it. Showed them how and left them on their own, being within the arm reach but barely. Our 4 year old son didn't have the chance to learn or practice because we don't have a pool anymore. But I would like to teach him how because we just had a 5 year old drowning a few weeks ago and it was heartbreaking.
One of my few regrets in this life is that I can not breath under water. I love to swim and be in the water. I have scuba gear and do a lot er did a lot of snorkeling... Not so much lately.
I started taking swimming lessons at the local YMCA when I was 5 years old. I swam every summer after that for 11 years. I still swim every now and then, but as often as I'd like to. It is a great exercise, great for strength and easy on the joints.
@Kampj - Hi, Thanks for visiting and for the comment. I hope you can teach your 4 year old to swim. I'm taking these 2 grandchildren for lessons because their mom (our daughter)has to work as she is going through a divorce. Their dad takes them on the lake in his boat and doesn't put life jackets on them. @Aloysius_son - There are several things that I used to do and don't anymore. Where did you snorkel?@babybug329 - I'd like to start taking water aerobics at the Y. I know I really need to.
@ata_grandma - I have dived in several lakes in the Adirondacks, Irondequoit bay, local ponds, the Genesee River, several locations in Maui, the Gulf off Florida and many many swimming pools. I think Massaweppie Lake and Mendon Pond were two of my favorite dives, but Hawaii was really spectacular.
yup! like a rock!
Never learned to swim. I had a bad experience when we were coming home from working in a field in the country and the driver stopped at this pond so we could get out and wade a little in the cold water. This girl pushed me in the deep part and I almost drowned. I love the water but never learned to swim.
I took swimming lessons at a young age at the CYO. Also we had required swimming in high school. I love to swim but it has to be in warm water. All of our kids took swimming lessons since we had an in ground pool at our previous house.
I took swimming lessons when I was little. My Dad told me I have a beautiful stroke. I like the cool feeling of the water in the hot summer, but I don't like deep water. I like to be able to stand on my feet and have my shoulders, neck, and head above water. I don't like jumping in deep water, as I don't like the feeling of "going down". Analice is different stock, she's a little fish, and already goes off the high dive; something I've never done in my entire life!!! I like your swimming lesson story. My mother didn't drive until I was in Jr. High, so we walked everywhere, or took a city bus. Hard to imagine now!!
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