Teach your Kids to Swim
Editorial by Joel Simon

All mammals can swim. Even cats. I remember learning this in grade school as part of our introduction to the natural world. In fact, as I’ve learned since, there are very few animals that can’t swim in one form or another. Many don’t, or at least not often, but they are able should the need arise. Elephants, cows, snakes, tiny insects, kangaroos, baboons, gazelle, even the unassuming koala. Yet, I’m always surprised by how many people, both children and adults tell me that they can’t swim. And they are not just rocking chair residents of Death Valley. Included are members of island communities, passengers on cruise ships, and others intimately surrounded by water! Either they never had an opportunity to learn, were understandably afraid of the water, or never felt a need to know.

I was lucky. Growing up near the Pacific, I had opportunity, motivation, and instruction at an early age. The Beach Boys were harmonizing about surfers, the nearby marina was full of graceful masts rocking like independently minded metronomes in the coastal breeze, and the wooden boardwalk was more than just a hideaway -- it was a thoroughfare for bicycles, skateboards, and pedestrians on their way to the waves. Simply learning to swim as a child has altered my life in countless positive ways, and for this I’m grateful.

Even though our first home in Southern California was only a few miles from the sea, my first memories of swimming are indelibly cloaked with the smell of chlorine, stinging eyes, and whistle blowing instructors yelling "kick from the hips!". This was not fun. Indoor pools with "heated" water that left little boys (and girls) shivering, followed by equally chilling compulsory showers were the domain of swimming lessons. I was not there by choice. My parents "made" me go. I went. Today (as they told me I would) I thank them. What I didn’t realize at the time, as few kids would, was that it was just as much for their own peace of mind, as it was for my skill development.

Having the ability to swim, not only eventually led to (still untold) adventures beneath the sea, but it allowed my parents to remain at ease when I hopped on my bike and headed for the water. We had the ocean nearly at our front yard so learning to swim was an essential component of enjoying the neighborhood. A walk around the block was a walk to the sea.

Clearly, the ocean doesn’t lap at the shores of everyone’s neighborhood. However, roughly 75% of our planet is covered by water. Rivers, streams, lakes, and if not those, then swimming pools are abundant. In today’s world, we enjoy unprecedented mobility. Surely at some point in nearly everyone’s life, we encounter large bodies of water, and either the invitation or potential to "dive (or fall) in". Just as learning to walk is a totally natural and expected skill to give young ones freedom on land, learning to swim allows freedom in the water. No matter where a family is raised, issues of personal safety and parental responsibility dictate teaching one’s children to swim.

In most communities there are numerous opportunities for developing your child’s skills in the water. Some public schools still offer swimming lessons as part of a physical education program, but with fiscal cutbacks, this is not always the case. However, most Red Cross organizations and YMCA’s offer lessons at modest cost.

There are many opinions concerning the ideal age to immerse children in water. Some experts say as early as 18 months, (or even younger) while others believe kids will benefit more after they are confident on their feet, say between 2 and 5 years old. One of my first jobs as a young college student was teaching swimming to this age group and without exception, they took to the water very successfully. And at this age, we could also talk to each other which proved beneficial most of the time!

It’s also important to understand that "learning to swim" refers to a broad range of skill levels. Mastering complicated strokes and coordination is not critical. Most importantly, kids should learn to feel comfortable and relaxed in the water and at the very least know how to float. Not only will this help prevent unwarranted drowning, injury, or intimidation, it’s also the most significant step in planning your family’s next snorkeling holiday.