Why Should Parents start learning how to swim?

By: April Quinones

Besides being a popular competitive sport, swimming is also a great recreational activity with multiple physical and mental health benefits. One of the best things about this activity is that you get to enjoy doing it alone or even with friends and family.

However, just like any other activity, it also poses many risks that can even cost lives. This is especially true in the case of children swimming alone. According to the World Health Organization, drowning ranks 3rd in the main reasons for unintentional injury death worldwide. Since many children enjoy swimming as one of their favorite activities, parents must learn how to swim so that they can prevent accidents and possibly death.

Is it too late for parents to learn how to swim?

It is never too late for parents to learn how to swim. Parents can set a specific day when they can learn how to swim if they lead busy lives. Indeed, a few hours will not hurt their regularly scheduled activities.
In fact, many sports clinics offer swimming lessons for adults at nighttime. You can try to ask your local sports clinic if they have one.

If you can't leave your children at home, why not learn it together? Swimming is actually a fantastic family activity. You and your loved ones can take a class together to strengthen your bonds with each other.
It may take a little while to get used to the water, but any parent can learn how to swim eventually with constant practice. You don't need to be a swimming prodigy since you are not doing it to compete in tournaments.

The Dangers of Not Knowing How to Swim

A simple family day at the beach or at the pool may turn into a disaster when children are left to swim on their own. Many reported cases where unsupervised children drowned or nearly drowned just because no one could save them.
There were also cases where parents could not save their children from drowning just because they don't know how to swim themselves. This one is tough because the parents might blame themselves, which can be harmful to their mental health.

Accidents can happen to anyone anytime and anywhere. That is why it is better to be prepared for what is to come than to be sorry later. If you can still do something about it, you better do it now. If you don't know how to swim, it's best to learn how to do so now. You will never know when you are going to need it as an individual and as a parent.

Why Parents Should Start Learning How to Swim

Swimming is an essential skill that any parent should be aware of and capable of. It will be easier for the parents to get through the water once they learn how to swim. Aside from this, there are a variety of essential reasons why parents should learn how to swim.

As mentioned before, children love to go to the pool or beach, especially during the summer. Sometimes, it is hard to check on everyone in your family when you are also busy preparing the food and the area where you will be staying.
Even though the swimming area may have a lifeguard on duty, parents should not be too complacent. Lifeguards check on everyone swimming in the area. Still, a pair of lifeguards are not enough to keep an eye on everyone playing in the water. If ever an accident happens, a lifeguard can only save one or two persons at a time which is why parents need to be able to swim. In times of emergency, a parent who knows how to swim will have the advantage. Besides saving your child's life, you can also save others' lives just because of your skill.

Another notable reason parents need to learn how to swim is to give them full supervision of the kids while they are in the water with their children. Most parents who don't know how to swim would rather stay at the side of the pool or at the cottage. That is why they can't always keep an eye on their children. They get distracted by other things and tend to forget about their children. However, when parents know how to swim, they can stay in the water and supervise their children. So, once trouble happens, the parent can quickly reach their kids.

Next, when parents know how to swim, they can easily teach their children as well. This teaching moment can also serve as another way to get closer to their kids. It is a fun way to enjoy quality time for the whole family, strengthening their relationship with each other. Lastly, as mentioned in the beginning, swimming is suitable for both physical and mental health. Learning how to swim helps build lung endurance for the parents. This is important because children have high endurance no matter what they are doing under the sun. With a proper breathing pattern, the parent will not quickly get tired from swimming. So, they can last a long time in the water with their kids.

Swimming is a great way to build good physical and mental health. It can also help strengthen the parents' endurance when playing with kids in the water. When parents learn how to swim, they have a better edge in saving their kids just if an emergency happens. Since they can stay in the water, they can also supervise their children better than those parents who don't know how to swim.

Learning how to swim is also a fun way to strengthen connections with the whole family. When parents can keep up with their kids' wants and needs, they can have fun and grow together. Always remember that danger is everywhere, and accidents don't spare anyone. When you as parents learn how to swim, you are more prepared on what to do just in case an accident happens.

If you are a parent interested in at home swimming lessons for adults, please see our adult swim lesson programs here.

This article is brought to you by: The Swimming Swan