If not, why haven’t you learned how?
Yes swimming is a core part of the nz childhood. We had swimming lessons throughout school and my parents enrolled me in swim classes very early.
I’m terrible at formal swimming but I can survive and get around comfortably in the water
Nope. Couldn’t afford lessons, no one had a pool and I lived in a predominantly black city. I’d like to one day just for safely but I usually just sink like a rock.
How is living in a predominantly black city relevant?
There is a relatively unknown (outside of the black community) bias against swimming. Slaves were traumatized to be hydrophobic to prevent escape from slave ships and then there was segregation of pools until relatively recently. This is fortunately fading now, last I checked.
I started taking lessons about a year ago. I’m glad I have. At least I feel like I might have a chance if something happens and I end up in deeper water than I can just stand in.
Yes, my mom made us take swim lessons up through lifeguard lessons, and some of my brothers were competitive (like very competitive) swimmers. I got my kids lessons through the drownproofing, not more.
Kids drown here every year, it’s not important to have paid lessons but very very important to know how to swim.
Yup, learned as a child and was absolutely bewildered as a teenager when I met people who couldn’t. Made sure my kids knew how as well. Child drowning injury and deaths are sadly high in the US.
Yes. In sweden every child has been taught to swim for almost 100 years.
Wow, you have some very old kids 😵😆
Look at Sweden, again dunking dunking on the rest of us without even trying. ;-)
Yes. Am Dutch
Yeah but not that well. I can yeet my body off the divingboard something goofy, plunge into the water, and make it back to the edge of the pool, and tbh that’s all the swimming ability that I’ve ever needed. At least I know that I can backstroke fairly effortlessly
Whoa. 100% ditto!
My parents made sure I took swimming lessons as a kid, and as a teenager I did a lot of water sports (sailing and rowing). I grew up next to a really good lake, so it would have been a waste to not be in or on the water.
Here in Germany we learn that in school in 3rd or 4th grade (ca 9-10 years of age).
No. I don’t feel comfortable being in situations where I’d learn. I’m pretty sure I’m to skin and bones to even float properly.
Its harder to remember not swimming to be honest. School swimming lessons, beach holidays, leisure centres, holidays abroad etc. I actually used to swim competetively (for my age bracket in my teenage years) for a local team. Went on to do lots of scuba diving and was a pool lifeguard for a bit
I think not swimming here is pretty rare, I want to say that maybe 10 or 15% of my year were classed as “non-swimmers” and had lessons separately to the rest.
Yes! I learned at the YMCA as a kid.
No, almost drown when I was a kid and have massive panic attacks getting into the water. In the last few years I’ve been able to get chest deep without hyperventilating but can’t really seem to float out anything like that without letting go of the side.
Trusting the float on the back makes sense to be a hard one. It’s counterintuitive, the water comes over your face when you start, and you can’t hold on to anything. Might be worth getting a personal coach for a session just for that if you haven’t already. Someone supporting you might help with the anxiety as long as they’re encouraging and not pushy.
You got that shit if you made it chest high. Keep going!
Yes. My dad was an avid swimmer and scuba diver so he wanted to instill that onto us children.
