{"id":9161,"date":"2024-11-07T14:25:22","date_gmt":"2024-11-07T14:25:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.turtletots.com\/uk\/?p=9161"},"modified":"2024-11-07T14:25:22","modified_gmt":"2024-11-07T14:25:22","slug":"going-underwater","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.turtletots.com\/uk\/news\/marlborough-and-swindon\/going-underwater\/","title":{"rendered":"Going Underwater"},"content":{"rendered":"

When do we dunk them? It\u2019s 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\u2019t to say that we don\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s vital we listen to their choice so they can build a bond of trust with us over time. That\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

It isn\u2019t 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\u2019t 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\u2019s similar learning to swim!<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a few ways you can help your child to love being under the water:<\/p>\n