Private Swim Lessons

I need private swim lessons for my 10 year old daughter ASAP. She leaves for camp at the end of June and still can't swim. She has this fear keeping her from learning (just like her bike). Does anyone know anyone who teaches? I need the lesssons to start right away!

 

I don't know whether this would work at your community, because I don't know the rules of whatever contract agreement you have between the association and the pool management co, if you do it that way, etc, but here goes:

My daughter had the same issues, and some of the guards that worked here would take private students. For several summers, I contracted with individual lifeguard/instructors and it did the trick for us.

My daughter couldn't stand to have any water on her face (poor eyesight may have contributed to this), and she was nearly hysterical at the thought of being in a group and having to just jump in with everyone else.

The bike issue was solved this way: her younger brother was ready to ditch his training wheels six months before I took them off, because A) I didn't want her to slay him for passing her at something, and B) I really didn't want her to decide that she just was going to give up on learning--I never learned as a child, and my husband taught me when I was in my early thirties. I look just like Miss Gulch when I ride, but I can ride now! So, every week when she was at school, I'd get my wrench out and raise her trainers another inch or so. She bent one of them leaning so hard, but she finally got tired of riding all twisty to keep up with the other kids, and she found her balance in the middle, and the sense of where that was for her body, etc. It only took a few weeks (with a secret adjustment every few days), and she now takes her bike out of the garage and rides for pleasure, for which I am very thankful.

I know it is hard to be one of the big kids and not ride well (believe me I know--you should have seen me and my husband in the local park in Arlington!), but I also know what it is to miss out on that wonderful skill. Some of the parents here say that scooters (the Razors and esp the big old fashioned ones) help with the sense of balance and trust in moving along--two families, one with a girl your age, used scooters to get their girls moving more confidently. Best of luck to you and your daughter. I'm rooting for her!

Barbara Munsey, from South Riding.

 

Thanks, Barbara. I don't have time to wait for the guards at the pool. I need the lessons now. She leaves for camp at the end of June. She can swim under the water but can't swim ON it. She was so hurt last year when she had to watch the other girls at camp go in the deeper part while she was only allowed to stay in 12 inches of water. I'll have to call around and see what I come up with.

As for the bike, she doesn't even have the training wheels anymore. We bought her a new bike a couple years ago without the training wheels. Maybe this summer...

 

You could try Potomac Swim School- they will prorate since they are mid session and do offer private lessons. Or, I know Ashburn Sports Pavillion also offers private lessons- and they are much cheaper. Good luck!

 

Sorry, Hazy. Try Ida Lee too, maybe? Or the place off of the Toll Rd just over into Fairfax? Lots of people here go there in the winter. Good for her to go under! Mine wouldn't do that until last year, because of the face thing. Floating still doesn't work as well as it ought, but it will come. Our swim test for kids of her age to be here without a parent in the water is the ability to jump in the deep end and swim to the side, as well as be able to tread water for specified period. I know the rules are (and should be!) different in an open water situation.

When my husband taught me to bike, we went to the playing field at the park, so it would be soft(er) when I fell. My neighbor whose daughter was so very uncomfortable learning her bike bought her one of the large scooters with the big wheels and the hand brakes, and the girl was riding that soon, and her bike by the end of that summer. When the scooter craze hit we took a tip from that neighbor, and it worked for our girl too, in that it let her get the sense of trusting her balance and banking mild turns. She still had to put the time in on the bike, but I am so glad she did. I didn't want her to miss all the years I did.

It is hard, I know. Good luck to her!

Barbara Munsey, from South Riding.