How do you know the difference if you are “Steering” your child to swim vs “Forcing” them to Swim? Daughter has been swimming since 3 and is now 9 (almost 10). She’s had some great moments like winning a Summer League All Star butterfly race when she was 8. But after that, we gave her the choice to do winter league and she didn’t want to (previously she said she had). She still had pretty good summer (before getting sick) and was still on B team for the relays, but it wasn’t the same at age 8. At the end of this summer, she admitted that she should have done some of the swim clinics before the start of the season.
But, now she goes back and forth. One time we will be swimming at the pool, and she asks if I think she’ll be in Lane 3 (fast lane). Then recently she said that she didn’t want to be competitive and only “liked” swimming.
In Jan – Feb 2018, I do have her signed up for some swim clinics. So 1x a week for 6 weeks. But, should we do more swimming after? A part of me thinks she needs some private lessons as her technique has eroded due to not being in classes/team. But, should I do that if it doesn’t matter to her?!? I mean she can swim.
I've seen her flip-flop about wanting to swim and not quite sure if she gets the effort. For example, she set a new PB in Fly this summer and was disappointed she didn’t get a ribbon – she was against 10 year olds that were fast. Well, geez, should have done the stroke clinics before the season like I said. I don’t think she’s fully grasped that the “separation is in the preparation” (to quote Russell Wilson).
I’m trying not to be a crazy parent. I want her to get the health benefit from swimming. She loves ballet and performing – I see her on the stage. But, she is going to need the exercise from swimming to keep in shape.
I feel like it was easier when she was younger and we would just take her to class 1x a week to learn to swim.
Any Advice? I’ve thought about asking her if she has goals for next summer. At times, I think we just sign her up for some lessons/stroke clinic (from March – May) where she should just swim 1 – 2 times per week (would that be “forcing”). Or do I wait and see how she responds to the Stroke Clinics, that I signed her up for in Jan- Feb?
Thoughts?
DanceDaddy
#tryingnottobecrazy
As mentioned, she loves her ballet and dance. She's in 4 classes a week and was in 2 nutcrackers.
To be honest, it reads to me like she has chosen her preferred activity. 4 classes per week is a pretty full week for a 9 year old. And I can't tell you how happy I am that my daughters didn't like dance, but I don't think you give enough credit to the physical aspect of it. The kids my kids' ages who dance are generally VERY athletic. A few of them tried swimming, and didn't like it.
She's getting close to teh age where she'll figure it out, herself. It reads to me like swimming is a fun thing, not the passion. If she decides she wants to focus more on it, or improve on it, she'll let you know. She's young enough where the passion may switch.
We have had a kid on our Summer team for the past few years we have been hoping would try our year-round team. She had the most natural butterly you've ever seen. Finished 2nd in our region's Summer league championship meet in the 25 fly a couple of times (out of 3600 total swimmers), but as she got older, she wasn't quite as competitive with kids who started doing year-round swimming. But her parents owned the local ice rink, and she was a skater first. Then hockey player. Well......at age 11, she decides she wants to swim. And she has now given up the other activities. So it isn't too late.
Keep her in the clinic. See if any of the year-round teams have any sort of Spring Conditioning clinic. Our team does that, we occasionally get kids to use it as a way to move into year-round, but the most important part there is building the social alliance. At that age, and even for a couple more years, that will have more of an impact on what she wants than the actual activity.
As mentioned, she loves her ballet and dance. She's in 4 classes a week and was in 2 nutcrackers.
To be honest, it reads to me like she has chosen her preferred activity. 4 classes per week is a pretty full week for a 9 year old. And I can't tell you how happy I am that my daughters didn't like dance, but I don't think you give enough credit to the physical aspect of it. The kids my kids' ages who dance are generally VERY athletic. A few of them tried swimming, and didn't like it.
She's getting close to teh age where she'll figure it out, herself. It reads to me like swimming is a fun thing, not the passion. If she decides she wants to focus more on it, or improve on it, she'll let you know. She's young enough where the passion may switch.
We have had a kid on our Summer team for the past few years we have been hoping would try our year-round team. She had the most natural butterly you've ever seen. Finished 2nd in our region's Summer league championship meet in the 25 fly a couple of times (out of 3600 total swimmers), but as she got older, she wasn't quite as competitive with kids who started doing year-round swimming. But her parents owned the local ice rink, and she was a skater first. Then hockey player. Well......at age 11, she decides she wants to swim. And she has now given up the other activities. So it isn't too late.
Keep her in the clinic. See if any of the year-round teams have any sort of Spring Conditioning clinic. Our team does that, we occasionally get kids to use it as a way to move into year-round, but the most important part there is building the social alliance. At that age, and even for a couple more years, that will have more of an impact on what she wants than the actual activity.
