Parent to Parent: Teaching your kids to swim

The sounds of summer! Kids splish-splashing in the water. But if your children don't know how to swim, pool time can quickly turn into panic time! That's why moms and dads need to play lifeguard and dive into the teaching task.

Kelli Mullen, mom
"Humpty Dumpty sat a wall... Humpty Dumpty had a great fall."

For starters, conquer the fear factor! Experts say when kids are as young as 6-months-old, you should walk them around the pool to get them used to the water. Then, kick it up a notch.

Watch 9-month-old Hadley. Her mom has been teaching her how to swim for several months.

Kelli Mullen, mom
"I blow in her face to get her to hold her breath, and they go right under and they come out, and it's fine." 

Experts say the key to a confident kid is a confident parent.

Bob Boder, Director of the Charles River YMCA Aquatics
"If a parent or instructor shows shock, the child is going to show shock. You have to present that as the best thing they have ever done in the world."

And when kids are ready to go the distance, parents can teach their kids different strokes with the help of flotation devices. But with any task, you need the proper training tools.

Bob Boder, Director of the Charles River YMCA Aquatics
"What you want to use for flotation equipment is something like this that won't deflate or won't unlock,"

Plus, practice makes perfect! Use your imagination and pretend a bed is a pool so your kids can practice swimming moves.

Bob Boder, Director of the Charles River YMCA Aquatics
"One is the kicking where they lie down on their stomach and move the legs up and down."

By learning a few, safe-swimming steps, your kids will soon be swimming like fish.

Parents also need to be aware of their own skill level.

If you're not a good swimmer, you can sign your kid up for a swimming lesson at a nearby gym. 

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