Helping Your Child Overcome Their Fear of Water

Cpl. Decil Burns, lifeguard and safety swimmer, Training Tank, guides his group of swimmers during a swimming class for children hosted at the Training Tank, June 10, 2014. The base pools offer swimming clinics for service members to improve swimming, swim classes for children and adults, open swim for anyone to jump in and pool parties units can reserve for an hourly rate with different aquatic activities available.

Image source – https://health.mil/~/media/Images/MHS/Photos/Summer%20Safety%20Swimming.ashx

A lot of children love nothing more than splashing about in the water. However, for others, water brings about a huge sense of fear and panic. If your child is scared of water, you may feel at a bit of a loss regarding what to do. It is vital to help your child overcome this fear. With that being said, read on to discover some great tips on how you can help your child to overcome their fear of water.

I get by with a little help from my friends… – If your child sees other children in the pool, having fun, he or she may be tempted to join in. After all, children often want to have or do whatever their friends are doing! So, why not get in touch with the parents of some of your child’s friends and see if you can get something arranged.

Water play – One of the best ways to get your child used to water is to introduce them to gentle water play. You need to show your child that water is fun and safe in other situations before you try and get them comfortable in bigger bodies of water. Water pistols are a good place to start! Just be prepared to get wet!

Wet faces – A lot of children are worried about getting their faces wet, and so if you can overcome this fear, you will be well on your way to helping your child overcome their fear altogether. You need to try and get your child used to the feeling of water going over their head. This doesn’t mean you should attack them with a garden hose! Give them some goggles and get them to blow bubbles into a bowl. Think of something fun. But, most importantly, be patient. This is a big deal for your child, and they are likely to be very reluctant.

Floating products – There are numerous floating products available to do that will help your child to feel more comfortable in water. Embrace the likes of inner tubes, kickboards, water wings, and even life jackets. It is all about taking baby steps.

Choose a swim school with care – Once you feel your child is ready to join a swim school, it is important to choose one with a great amount of care. Choose a school that has experience in helping children that are scared of water. Ask them how they manage such situations, and read reviews that have been left by previous parents to ensure that the school has a good reputation.

If you follow the advice that has been provided above, you can ensure your child overcomes his or her fear of water. This is not something you should expect to happen overnight. It will often take a bit of time, but it is vital to be patient.