Courtesy: Jacob Bailey
Anyone who has ever searched the internet for “swim lessons” knows there is no shortage of people and organizations eager to teach you or your child how to swim—for a fee, of course. While swimming lessons are often expensive, the underlying idea is logical: learn to swim, and you or your child will be less likely to drown.
However, the assumption that swimming lessons significantly prevent or reduce drowning risk is more of a plausible theory than a proven fact. When we examine actual drowning statistics, particularly those involving children, the notion that swim lessons make someone “drown-proof” becomes less certain.
The Role of Infant Safety Rescue
Infant safety rescue programs focus on teaching children between six months and three years old skills like floating on their backs or returning to the side of a pool after falling in. Floating on the back is undoubtedly useful, as it enables a child to surface rather than sink immediately. However, this skill’s practical utility diminishes in non-pool environments or rough water conditions. Floating becomes significantly harder as the water becomes choppier, especially for infants with limited body mass.
Similarly, teaching a child to return to the side of the pool seems straightforward but has practical limitations. Many backyard pools have vertical gutters or water levels below the pool edge, making it difficult for children to grab onto a solid structure to pull themselves out.
Confidence vs. Competence
Another important aspect of swim lessons is the relationship between confidence and competency. As a swim instructor, I often encounter parents whose primary goal is to see their children confidently jump into the pool. While it’s easy to teach most kids to jump into the water and grab onto an instructor’s hands, this can unintentionally set a dangerous precedent. Children might learn that jumping into any large body of water is acceptable, potentially leading to hazardous situations if they cannot swim independently.
This example underscores a broader issue: the challenge of balancing water familiarity with genuine swimming ability. If a child is morbidly afraid of water and never learns to swim, they’re likely to avoid water altogether, reducing their risk of drowning. However, overconfidence in an inadequately skilled swimmer can have the opposite effect.
The Reality of Water Safety
In over a decade of teaching swimming, I’ve seen some three-year-old girls and four-year-old boys complete 25-yard laps repeatedly for half an hour. Still, fewer than 20% of three- to four-year-olds could save themselves in a simple “fall into the pool” scenario. Real-life situations are often more complicated, involving street clothes instead of swimsuits and a lack of goggles that are commonly used during lessons.
Parents must also consider the rationality of water-related fears. While phobias are defined as irrational fears, fear of water—especially for non-swimmers—is not inherently irrational. A healthy respect for water can be a valuable safeguard.
Parental Responsibility
Swim instructors may face pressure from parents to make children appear more competent than they are, often driven by a desire for visible progress or a return on investment. This can lead to a false sense of security about a child’s abilities.
This is not to suggest that swim lessons are inherently bad or that parents should instill fear of water in their children. Instead, parents should evaluate their family’s unique circumstances, critically assess their child’s water competency, and remember that ensuring a child’s safety is ultimately their responsibility. Swim lessons can be an excellent tool, but they’re just one part of a comprehensive approach to water safety.
ABOUT JACOB BAILEY
Jacob, a former University of Evansville swimmer, has been coaching and teaching swimming lessons for years and is an avid open-water swimmer.
When should children learn to swim though?