“Why is it at the beginning of summer, it’s like my kids have never had a swimming lesson in their life?”
Inconsistent Practice
Are you frustrated? You are not alone. Many parents are frustrated with this common situation every summer. Back to step one. But take a breath, it’s ok. It’s the same after summer break when students return to the classroom. The first month is review of what they learned at the end of the last school year. While in school, students are constantly practicing math, science and language skills. If they do not continue with activities that keep these skills up, such as summer reading programs, they will fall behind; even if only slightly.
Retraining the Body and Mind
After the summer ends and other activities take priority, kids lose some of the swimming skills they have learned over the course of the summer. This also goes for adults.
“It’s like learning how to ride a bicycle”
Yes, after a short period of time a swimmer’s skills can come back. That is due to muscle memory, the body is able to remember the movements it used before to complete the specific strokes. Building endurance, breath support and muscle strength takes time.E
Patience
As a parent, it is difficult to accept there is this delay. Be prepared. For the first class of the swim season have them retake the class they finished at last. A refresher class will help your swimmer regain their confidence and put them on the right track for another successful season.
There is no harm, if you are sure they are ready for the more challenging class, to ask for a swim assessment. Sunshine Swim Center offers free swim assessments before class enrollment to ensure swimmers are in the most appropriate level class.