When Should Your Child Start Swim Lessons?

Mommy-Guilt is weighing heavy on me this week.  We attended our first swim lesson of the summer on Tuesday, or should I say “kind-of” attended…as Luke (almost 2 yrs) screamed at the top of his lungs for the first 20 minutes of our 30 minute lesson.  With me holding him.  Hugging tight.  Mostly outside the pool.

And, of course, I’d just finished this week’s feature article on www.MomsOutLoud.com called Four Steps to Summer Water Safety for Kids, during which I’d learned of the new research study published in March that says swim lessons in children ages 1-4 years significantly reduces drowning risk.  Not to mention fear of the water.  So for all those 20 minutes – and several hours following – I kicked myself for not starting him in lessons earlier.

But as a good friend (and great mother) once told me:  “Don’t beat yourself up on your parenting decisions.  Your kids will blame you for all their problems later in life no matter what you do.”  Ahhhh – that takes the pressure off!