My little girl has learned to swim!

For the last six years we have spent a week in the summer in the same luxurious converted barn which shares a pool with the five or six other holiday cottages on the farm. I realised this morning that all three of my children have learned to swim in this pool.

The year my eldest learned to swim he had begun to understand the dangers of not being able to swim and did not want to get in the pool at all. We managed to coax him in by measuring him against his father and comparing where he came up to and where the water came up to on dad's stomach, demonstrating that he was, just about, in his depth. With this security he was eager to jump in and play. Before long, he was swimming.

My middle son is a very different build to his older brother and even at a comparable age he was out of his depth. We showed him how he could touch the bottom and jump up to get his head above water and he kangarooed around the pool quite happily. He wanted to learn to swim independently and when he thought no-one was looking began to swim across the corner near the steps, not too far from something to grab hold of. When he was a little more confident he began to swim along the length of the pool, right by the edge so he could stop and hold on when he needed to. I could see the determination on his face and his desire to set himself progressively harder challenges until he was swimming boldly.

My daughter has been happy to swim with her 'woggle' (a noodle shaped piece of foam) for a long while, or if she is held. But as soon as I let go she would stop paddling and sink. It has taken many, many widths of the pool with dad's hands just touching her stomach, to give her the confidence to go it alone and she is justifiably very proud of her achievement.

Reflecting on these experiences I can see two truths. My children have all learned to swim in very different ways and have needed very different help from us because they are unique individuals. Also, they have needed security, safety, before they have been able to cross the line. My job is to apply these truths as I parent and educate them.