Facing Fears

What to do when your child is afraid of swimming lessons.

- Hannah Ooi

Your preschooler’s swimming lessons were going so well until last week, when he mistimed his strokes and swallowed a mouthful of pool water.

Now, he says that he doesn’t want to continue with his lessons and that he is not going back there again. It’s time for you to help Junior regain his confidence.

The first step is to get him back into the pool as soon as possible. Of course, you should be empathetic, so that he knows you understand his confidence has been rocked by that incident.

Explain that you know what it feels like to gasp for air and find your mouth full of pool water. Tell him how you are not surprised he wants to give up swimming lessons after such an incident.

But make it clear that he is going back into the pool, anyway. If you can, take him there the next day, and reassure him that you’ll be with him so that he has nothing to worry about. Ignore any protests, and respond with calming reassurance.