Help a 5 year old swim?!?

Question

my son is 5 yrs old. he loved water and the pool when he was a baby. at age 2 he loved to jump off the ledge into the water. right before he turned 3, he was sitting on the edge of the pool and my boyfriend pushed him in. he panicked and since then has been terrified of the pool and getting his head wet. i have tried everything over the last 2 years..... swimming lessons, encouragement, everything! he's still terrified. he now sees his friends swimming and is upset he can't join them. i'm at my wits end at what to do.

anyone had this problem? please help me!!!

Answer 1

  I had the same experience with a camp counselor throwing me into the pool.  It is almost as if he has a minor case of post-traumatic stress diorder.  If possible, it may help him to confront the person that did it and tell them how much it frightened them.  When the man says to him, he wasn't trying to hurt him and it will never happen again, that will not neccesarily help him, but that will In a way "peel off the scab"  allowing him to start the healing process.  Keep in mind it will be very hard for the child to do this.  That is normal.  I think you need to have a long conversation with you child about why it scared him, and what you can do to help.  reassure him, that from now on you will always watch him swim to make sure no one can hurt him.  If you say this however,  you have to really mean it.  you must follow through with this.  When your child becomes old enough to swim on their own, you mayneed to even ask him if it would make him uncomfortable, because it may bring up repressed memories. Then you need to figure out a way to help him him associate a pool with positive things instead of just that one negative incident. offering to take him to a pool where al of his friends are.  Do not push him, or it can make it worse.  let him go at his own pace.  Also, at times when he is watching you shoulkd go swimming.  You are who he looks up to.  If he sees you doing he may subconciously realize it is okay.  Then  once you are sure he is ready, get his permission to sign him up  for a non-aggressive swim class .  Make sure it is red-cross certified.  By learning how to swim,  along eith being taught technicques abotu safety, and how to prevent yourself from drowning, or sinking to the bottom of the pool, it will help him feel more confident.  Also take it as an opportunity to teach him about safety.  Such as never to go into a pool without supervision of an adult/or a lfieguard.  Also teach him that if a lifegaurd is on duty, they will always leap in and save him, and take him out of the pool.  It may also help him to wear goggles, with a nose peice.  He may feel more comfortable if he can see under the water, and doesn't have it going up his nose.  When he feel ready to eter the pool go in withhim.  Start at slowly in the most shallow water available.  first allow him to just put in his feet  in the water.  However, since that is where the incident happend, you must assure him that you are sitting right next to him,with your feet also in the pool, and no one will push him.  if it makes him comfortable allow him to even wear a life vest while sitting there.  this way he knows that even if he does fall in he won't sick.  Introduce him back to the  water slowly.  Go into the shallow with him, and allow him to wear a flotation device, as soon as he says he wants to come out.  Allow him to.  Slowly do this for longer increments of time.  He may also benefit from therapy.  It will not only hel;p him with his fear of water, but he is obviously a child who holds on to his fears, and they seem to cause him great ditress.  Not only will it help him reach a break-through with swiming, it may help him be an over-all happier child.  I was in his situation it was very difficult for me to get over.  You are obviously a very caring and devoted mother.  With you by his side, I am sure he will turn out okay.  best of luck to both of you.

Answer 2

put him in the middle of the pool and dont let him panic and just stay above water thats what my mom did to me

and know i cant stay out of the water i love it and it kills me i dont have a pool and i am 16

Answer 3

The reason he is afraid is probably due to being pushed in and the image sticks with him.  The other reason is most likely because he got water in his nose and or mouth which causes most children's water fears.  This can be conquered by teaching him to not only blow bubbles, but also to inhale through the mouth out of the water and then, while submerging, "hum".  Have him pierce his lips together and gently exhale out the nose making the "humming" sound.  (The sound makes it easy for him to recognise that he is doing it correctly)  Anyway, have him hum while submerging until he is out of the water and then immediately breathe in through the mouth and repeat several times.  This is crucial not only for swimming in general, but also for safety reasons.  Try it in the tub where he feels safe.  Make a game out of it and have him pick up toys off the bottom with his face in the water.  Too be honest, as much as it may pain you, it will need to be done to move on and the longer it takes, the worse it will get.  Most instructors have them do "bobs" as they are called but few actually address the breathing element that is meant to be taught by it.  They simply let them go under and hold their breath...teaching them little.  Good luck to you.

Answer 4

What your boyfriend di was create a fear that previously had not existed. What you need to do now is conquer that fear. Time will be the best healer for this one. Will your son sit on the sit of the pool with you? Will he let you hold him while in the water? Encourage these things. Be reassuring. Make your boyfriend apologize and tell your son that what he did was wrong so your son realizes no one will do it again. Trust is a very important factor. Another option is to enroll him in swim lessons at the YMCA or local club. Sometimes being around other people his age with a stranger makes them a bit more brave. Also, most instructors have tricks to get kids in the water at their own pace. You can start off with swimmies (water wings) or a bubble to help him stay afloat and regain his confidence. Work on blowing bubbles in the bathtub to start getting his face and head wet again. Reassurance is definitely key and overcoming his fear may be a long, ardous process at that age. If you stick with it he will eventually feel better about the water but it can take a lot of work. I highly recommend you put him in lessons ( =

Good luck!

Answer 5

well,

irst, does he kno how to hold his breath?

he has to get used to the water. first hold him in your arms and walk slowly into the water. he might be scared but just hold him (even thought hes scared).  then let his body get used to the water and bring his body down up to his stomach (once he knows that you would not bring him out). and then then just sway with him so he could get used to be fast .  then just hold his hands so he could practice swimming

my uncle used to just throw his kids into the water even though his son was 1 years old he could still swim.most of his kids knows how to swim