If you’ve just got back from your family summer holiday with a tired and frustrated toddler, you’re not the only one. Keeping them entertained every day, whilst still trying to fit in your own rest and relaxation is no mean feat. If your little one is a happy and confident swimmer, then you most probably spent 98% of your break trying to lure them out of the pool, but what do you do if your child is afraid of the water?
Karla Hodgetts-Tate’s two-year-old daughter, Caoimhe, is absolutely obsessed with swimming. She spent most of their family trip to Spain splashing around in the pool with her dad and there is nothing she enjoys more than her weekly Water Babies lesson with her mum. But this wasn’t always the case, as Karla explains,
“Caoimhe hated the water from day one. We took her to her first Water Babies class when she was three months old and she screamed the place down. Watching your tiny little baby in such distress is just heart breaking, but I was adamant she was going to learn to swim. It was hard work. It took months of perseverance and patience for her to relax in the pool and with the support of our wonderful teacher, Emma, we’ve come out of the Water Wobbles phase- in fact, Caoimhe now loves swimming more than any other child I know!”
If you can relate to Karla’s struggle with Caoimhe’s confidence in the water, follow these handy tips from Caoimhe’s Water Babies teacher, Emma, on how to overcome the Water Wobbles!
What are the Water Wobbles?
“Some children can develop an aversion to water when they reach about 8-months old. This is a common developmental phase and can see children becoming overly dependent on their parents and seeming to fear activities they once loved – including swimming!
This phase is sometimes known as the junior toddler phase. You might your child demonstrating conflicting behaviours – off exploring and causing mischief one minute and clinging to you for dear life the next.
These opposing behaviours and emotions are difficult for your child to deal with, leading to them sometimes ‘acting out’ in the pool,” explains Emma.
What can you do?… contact Water Babies at Aycliffe on 01325 728 728.
