Help Children Overcome Fear of the Water
with
Kathy Moore
Fear of the water is common among children who have not yet learned to swim. Learn some tactics you can use to help a child who is afraid of the water.
Transcript: Help Children Overcome Fear of the Water
Hi, I' Kathy Moore for About.com. Learning to swim is an important rite of childhood but fear of the water can hold some children back. This program will offer some ideas on helping children overcome their fear of water.Introduce Water to Kids Slowly
I spoke with Chrissy Roering a certified swim instructor and founder of Safe Swim Minnesota, a swim school for people of all ages and abilities. She says fear of water is common in children but it can be overcome."Fear of the water can be mastered by anyone by taking time to do things slowly and safely where the child is comfortable in the surroundings while you are practicing. Lots of children are afraid of the water due to the fact that they know in the water they cannot breathe."
Start Kids Out in Shallow Water
I would start in shallow water where they can sit or touch. Moving their hands around in the water, feeling it on your hands, felling it on your feet. Just walking around, even with your head above water and figuring out how your body moves that way is a great way to get a more comfortable feel for the water.Keep Parents Around to Reduce Fear
Some children are so afraid they do not even want to go near the water but there are ways parents can deal with that too. "Total fear of the water should be approached at a very easy pace whether it is just using the bathtub to sit in. There are different songs and activities you can do to encourage pouring water on your self I would suggest staying away from the face until they are more comfortable just being in the water and then slowly progress from there."Fear of Going Under Water
As a former swim instructor myself, I know that many children are afraid to put their face in the water. "Putting the face in the water is something that is challenging for almost every student that comes across in a beginner's class. At times I will actually have them hum a note like this and then since they are humming and creating bubbles they are less apt to suck water in if they are making a noise at the same time."Stay Calm With Kids in Water
Parents own fears can be transmitted to their kids so it is best to try to project a calm and comfortable mood when you are in the water with your children."Children will react to how a parent is responding to the water. If you are really tense, if you are worried about how you are moving around in the water, children are going to pick up on that and act the same way. But if you are acting fun and light hearted and looking like you are enjoying yourself the kids will want to do the same thing."
Whether it is at the beach, a pool or in the bathtub at home you can help your child overcome the fear of water using a calm, slow and gentle approach.
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