When did you learn swimming?

[tazdev3225]

I'm probably the only grandma whose grandchildren can swim, but I can't.

I'm another grandma who can't swim but my grandkids all can.

When I was about 1 my parents took me to the Cedar Lakes that were in New Jersey. No real swimming pools in South Philly. A woman drowned while we were there that was about my mom's age and height wearing the same bathing suit. Every time I wandered near the edge of the water My parents, aunt or grandmom grabbed me away from the water in a total panic. Then when I was about 6 I fell into the local creek and went under. My dad got to me quickly but I developed a rather bad phobia of the water. They gave lessons in school when I was about 10 but the fear was deep and the instructor threatened to throw me in the 16 foot end off of the platform boards. I came up with a ton of excuses after that to avoid the lessons. My teacher realized what was going on and really let the instructor have it but she realized that I wasn't going to get over this fear easily.

When my husband and I bought our house it came with an above ground pool. I made sure my kids learned to swim. We joined a swim club when the pool came down and my kids and grandkids were on the swim team. I didn't want them to have the same debilitating fear that I lived with. I can get about in the pool now, but I always have a "Float noodle" with me and I never go beyond the 6-foot end of the pool. Ironically, I have never been afraid of the ocean and even wanted to learn to surf in my teens although I couldn't swim.

 

[Rogue1677x]

Haven't. I won a summer at day camp when I was in kindergarten and was incredibly excited because then I would get to go in the pools the camp had. Well, swimming lessons turned into a nightmare.

One of the counselors at the swimming lessons believed if you push the kids in they will figure it out. Well, she pushed me in but not far enough from the edge of the pool and I sank to the bottom of the pool. I woke up in the nurse's station with my back scratched up and my mother standing over me. Apparently the counselor thought I would be fine and swim to the top of the water but I didn't.

Turns out I hit my head and stopped breathing, so another counselor performed cpr and they had to call my mom to report what happened.

After all these years I'm apprehensive of deep water but will go in pools up to my chin. I made sure my daughter learned how to swim early and she picked it up quickly.

 

[MamaMermaid]

As an infant -- born and raised in FL. My son also learned as an infant/toddler. He regularly takes swim lessons. In Florida, we cannot be too safe around water.

 

[tvguy]

Another product of the YMCA swimming program. I have my badges somewhere, my mom framed them. All the way to Shark. I was about 9.

 

[easyas123]

Can't recall a time when I couldn't swim, but I lived on (and off) a boat as a kid and my folks had a pool so we were always in and around water.

 

[goofyernmost]

During basic training when they pushed me into the deep end of a pool (about 10 feet deep). It is amazing how quickly you learn how to do it. Some didn't though. I remember one fellow that just sunk like a rock and they had to pull him out with one of those giant fish hood thingy's.

 

[georgina]

I learned at the Y also, maybe 8 years old.

Took a class in college.
Don’t look askance.
Back in the “daze” many women of color went to beaches to sit in the sand and water walk; nothing more. Amazing how times have changed for the good. DGD loves water sports.

The statistics are still skewed on drowning for kids of color.