When do we dunk them? It’s a question we get asked a lot during the early stages of our lessons and the simple answer is never! We at Turtle Tots believe in elective submersion which is to say we think that children should have a choice about when they go underwater. This isn’t to say that we don’t think being underwater is important. On the contrary, being comfortable underwater it is a vital part of learning to swim and more than that – it is good fun! However, we know that being a baby or toddler can be tough. There is a lot going on for them developmentally, both physically and mentally, there are nurseries to settle in to, colds to get over and all those pesky teeth to deal with. This means there are often weeks when your little one feels a little more cautious of apprehensive about getting under the water or even just being away from you.

Of course, at this age its not always easy to know when those weeks are going to be so we try our best to give them a choice so they can let us know and as teachers we feel it’s vital we listen to their choice so they can build a bond of trust with us over time. That’s why we are always watching for children who are reluctant to leave their grown up or are upset when they get on the big mat so we can respect their need for a little more nurturing that week. Equally we are also on the lookout for children who are ready to go that bit further and it is just as important we listen to those children too.

It isn’t uncommon for us as adults to unintentionally prevent our child from experiencing being under the water as they would like to. This is always done with the best intentions of protecting our children, but it is important to remember it is hard for children to form an opinion on something if they can’t experience it for themselves. Obviously there are limits to this, I am certainly not suggesting you let them dive of the stairs or in front of a car, but think of it as you would learning to walk. Yes they will fall a few times but we are there to hold their hand when they need reassurance, to steady them up if they trip and help them to build up the confidence to have another go on their own. It’s similar learning to swim!

Here’s a few ways you can help your child to love being under the water:

• In our baby classes when they reach towards you during their individual swim let them have a splash in the water. Start small with a little splash, then a face dip and as they get older let them go a little longer and have chance to kick their legs and find their own way to you.
• With bigger babies and toddlers talk to them. Let them get wet when they come in from the side or the mat and ask them if it was fun. Be excited when they have a big splash or they go that bit further and be prepared to take it back to a smaller splash if they are unsure.
• When we play underwater peek a boo or get our sinkers try to get wet yourself as our children so often learn for watching others. If you’re not comfortable with going under the water yourself occasionally let them watch someone else who is and talk to them about it. As many of you know I am more than happy to get my goggles out a fetch sinkers for a bit at the end of a class!
• If you are anxious of the water yourself it is likely you will feel anxious about your child being under the water. This is normal and please don’t beat yourself up over it! However, it is important to recognise your child may not feel the same. If your feeling unsure about how to support them talk to me about it and I can help. Whether its extra support during those individual swims or making sure your next to me during big mat games so I can help you let them go a bit further. I am here for you all so just ask!

Lasty and probably most importantly, try to normalise being under the water and getting wet during classes as much as possible. Make it a fun game reaching a bit further for your sinker or getting you wet when diving in from the side. Let them water you with a cloud, wash your face or splash you back during our warmup games and ultimately enjoy spending time in the water together! Yes it can be scary to let our children go in any situation but as parents we need often need to support them in finding their own way and swimming is very much one of those situations. Remember I am here to help – if you’re not sure or you would like to try something but feel anxious about it just ask!