What she said. I learned to swim in my mid 20s, but still get the heebies when I am near deep water. If my feet can't touch the bottom, I am like "Oh SH*T!"
I would like to take a refresher course or 2. I am also one of the first to learn to swim in my family. My mother and grandmother had friends and family members drown and won't go near water. My uncle made sure his kids learn to swim at an early age because of his mother's fear.

Mr. 1228's kid is a so so swimmer, he took lessons when he was younger. If Mr. 1228 and I have kids, that kid will learn to swim before they can walk!!!!

Gwyn, I feel ya about the hair. Thankful I have braids! :)

yep i can swim but i didn't figure it out until i was 'bout 8 - i could dog paddle, float, and tread before that, just not actually swim with proper technique...

- marissa

Yes. I grew up swimming in my grandparents' pool. I am not sure when I learned. It's just always been something I have known how to do for as long as I can remember.

I think I was 6 or 7 when I learned how to swim. I LOVE swimming, but I have bad ears so i could never really do it on a regular basis. Even with the ear plugs I ger water and it's just bad.
I think some people don't give their children lessons because they are afraid of the cost, and haven't heard about free or low cost programs that may be available.

I have always loved the water and had lessons as a kid. We also had swimming in high school and had to stay in it until we passed We had to do 4 lengths of the pool in each of the 4 strokes we learned, so 16 lengths total. We also had to do a 10 minute survival float and demonstrate some rescue skills with others. I thought everybody had swimming in school at some point! Perhaps that's a regional thing.

My kids didn't have swimming lessons until two years ago, although they both loved the water as much as I did. They were in the pool with me from early ages and I taught them how to float. Swimming lessons in this area are hard to find during evening hours, so only kids of stay at homes could take them. Thankfully, we have a wonderful summertime babysitter who took them along with her daughter so they've now passed the Red Cross levels 2, 3 and 4 and are both decent swimmers. My daughter will have swimming in middle school gym.

Glitter: Try an equal mixture of alcohol, vinegar and hydrogen peroxide. A few drops in the ear after each time you swim will dry up the water that gets stuck in there. My son's pediatrician taught us this trick after he had swimmer's ear a couple times and it works great for him. They sell things over the counter that do the same thing now, but it's easier with stuff you have on hand all the time anyway!

Dee

sounds like a wonderful idea. as hot as it has been, a pool sounds terrific.
i imagine panic would be a contributing factor to drowning.

Not many Tennessee high schools have a pool....
Silver

Yes yes yes. The easiest way to teach a child to swim is to get them to put their faces in.

It must have been scary for you at Initiation when they threw you into the Sacred Pool of the Daughters of Zeus ;)

yes