Why does a child really go to the swimming pool? Let's see the world through our children's eyes!
I wonder what interests a 5, 6 or even 9 year old child when they come to a swimming lesson? What is it that makes a child want to come to the swimming pool?
One and only! Water play! Children come to the swimming pool to play, laugh, dive, see their teacher and splash their friends, dive under the water and see the bottom of the pool with their goggles... Children are thirsty for learning, but through joy! They don't ask for much...
Why does a child really go to the swimming pool? Let's now describe what a parent thinks...
Is my child good at swimming? Is he fast enough? I've dedicated so many trips to the back and forth, and he finishes last? Should he compete in competitions? Does the coach pay enough attention to him? I would like him to win the Panhellenic... Since his body type is ideal... It seems that he doesn't try hard enough... The others try harder... I think the coach should push him harder...
All of these thoughts may hinder a child's swimming development...
A great idea to help children's swimming development is to let them enjoy swimming without the stress of performance... They may not become champions... One thing is for sure though... To become champions they must look forward to coming to the pool and love swimming without stress! If they feel like they don't like it and that they are being pressured, sooner or later they will stop this wonderful activity!
Let's not have too high expectations of children. It's worth sacrificing our expectations to help the child feel good about themselves. And let's praise children for their efforts. Praise relieves stress, calms the nervous system, and increases self-confidence. The child acquires reserves to be able to face the difficulties of life, not just swimming. When the parent expects too much from the child, the slightest failure is interpreted by the child as inadequacy or incompetence. However, if we replace criticism for every small failure with encouragement and reward for the effort, the child will feel recognition for the effort and not disgust for the failure. This way, the child stays positive, setting higher goals for himself through joy and choice, not the command or the need for endless reward for no reason!
Let's let play do all the hard educational work... not just in the pool but also in school and ballet and wherever we can claim it and change it!
Let all parents remember that the race of life is not a sprint but a marathon! And not against other marathon runners, but against our own yesterday's self!
Academies and Pre-Competitive Swimming Departments – Ichthys Swimming Team
The sections of academies – pre-competition swimming are open to all children from 8 years old who want to benefit from swimming, with or without the condition of competitive obligations.
Alongside all these sections, there are always sections for all levels at every age (from 40 days to adulthood), so that the child can initially become familiar with the water and then join a similar training section for their age. Always with a focus on personalized education and in-depth training for each child individually!
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