Swimming: Ditch the Water Wings
Swimming: Ditch the Water Wings
An LP mom who competed at the World Dwarf Games shares why water wings do more harm than good — and how to raise a water-confident dwarf child.
LP mom here.
I’m 4′ tall and I have 2 kids (one AH, one LP). Both started swim lessons at age 9 months. They never used water wings, etc. We always held them in the water or were in the water with them until they could be water safe — because water wings give children a false sense of safety and understanding of buoyancy. It took years to get them through each swimming milestone. Yes, even my Average Height daughter took years to learn. Even when the water level was at my armpits, I held both my children. I’ve kept them in swim lessons and an intramural swim team. Nothing could be better than seeing them reach swimming goals and be water confident.
Dwarf Mom’s Story
I learned how to “survive” swimming by my military dad just telling me to figure it out. In my 40s, I enrolled myself in swim lessons to learn proper techniques and formal strokes. It took me years to learn. I challenged myself and swam in my first ever competition at the World Dwarf Games.
For more on why arm bands give children a false sense of water safety, read: Should Kids Learn to Swim With Arm Bands?
Has your LP child reached a swimming milestone or competed in DAAA or World Dwarf Games events? Share your story in the comments — these are exactly the kind of encouraging experiences other LP families need to hear.