You’ve been taking your tot to swimming lessons for quite some time now, and while you’ve enjoyed bonding with your toddler in the water, the time has come for your little one to venture off to swim lessons without you. We understand that moving up a class level is a proud moment for both you and your child, but can come with some uncertainties. Without preparation, this can be a stressful transition for little ones, but by taking a few steps beforehand can turn a potential outburst into a positive and fun experience.
Giving Them Notice
Understandably, for anyone surprises in life can be a shock to the emotions. For a child, these feelings are amplified. The best thing you can do is give them advance notice and plenty of information about the change to swim lessons without you. This allows them time to process the idea of swim lessons alone and be able to ask you all their questions to ease their uncertainty and fear. While this won’t completely eliminate all the worries, it will make the first day of swim lessons without you in the water go a lot smoother, and give your child the ability to enjoy their stress-free swimming time in the water.
Introduce Their New Instructor
A new class might mean a new swim instructor; this might make your little one feel pretty anxious. As a parent, you want to ease your child’s fears and make meeting new people a positive experience. The best thing you can do is introduce your new instructor to your kiddo ahead of time to get them familiar and comfortable. In a class transition as big as this your child will already be nervous and will want you in the pool more than ever, but by introducing them to the new instructor beforehand you are building a positive relationship before the first day of class.
Be Strong and Stay Positive
It isn't just your kids coping with change; you are going to be feeling some stress as well. And that’s okay! However, it’s important to not let your child see this stress. Make sure you are approaching this change positively, especially while in front of your child to show them change is an exciting thing and means they’re growing and improving. We know moving up in kids swimming lessons comes with a lot of hesitations from your kiddo and even yourself, but remember to associate change as a positive step in their life and your child will flourish from the new opportunities and benefits. For more information about baby swim lessons and our programs contact us.
