[TEN!]

DD has had swimming lessons at school for the last 2 weeks.

This morning she said she didn't feel well and didn't want to do it. So we said OK, and she went to school without her costume and towel. I got a call from her teacher freaking out because I've paid for the lesson, and it was tehir assessment today, which she will now miss out on.

I told her it was no big deal, she didn't feel like it. She seemed really surprised and a bit peeved.

Am I missing something? My DD is 8. I sent her to lessons to learn more confidence in the water and to improve her skills a bit. I don't care if she has an assessment or not. She has a little sniffle and was complaining about being really cold the last few days, so she doesn't want to go into the water today. And being the ogre that I am, I said that was OK.

WWYT of this response from her teacher? Would you make your child go swimming if they didn't want to?

[~Bean~]

Nope. I'd do what you did. it's sensible.

[Amanda_R]

Seems fair enough, I probably would have done the same.

But I can imagine there would be parents who would think the assessment was important and would want their child to do it even if they are feeling unwell. So perhaps the teacher was just anticipating that sort of response. The teacher might have had children who fake being sick as well and was worried about the parents response relating to that too.

Nothing overly unsurprising or unusual about what you did or the teachers response though.

[YodaTheWrinkledO...]

Nope. I'd do what you did. it's sensible.

+ 1

But some parents would consider an assessment terribly important, so I could understand why the teacher rang you to discuss.

[BadCat]

Seems like a normal thing for a parent to do.

[mez70]

I get why the teacher rang you. However I think you did the right thing. My DD ended up really sick after her schools swimming lessons last year as she was just so cold in the pool eg lips and some skin was turning shades of blue and purple when getting out of the pool. Mind you it was only her that was sooo cold as she is underweight and has no fat stores what so ever to keep her warm. In hindsight I would have pulled her out had I known the end result.

[TEN!]

Thanks for posting that Mez. S is also very lean and she told me that her lips were purple the other day when she got out of the pool. I know I did the right thing now, so I feel very happy.

I figure she has her whole life to learn, she's not a "natural" swimmer, and I want it to be something that is a fun activity that we as a family can enjoy. Lessons to me are about safety rather than perfecting her stroke technique or getting her bronze medallion.

[Aqua Kitty Kat]

DD has had swimming lessons at school for the last 2 weeks.

I told her it was no big deal, she didn't feel like it. She seemed really surprised and a bit peeved.

Would you make your child go swimming if they didn't want to?

If you said to the teacher that "she didn't feel like it" I could understand why the teacher was surprised. Being sick on the other hand is an entirely different matter. Maybe if you had said she was unwell the teacher would have had a very different reaction.

I know alot of people would not, but personally I would make my child go to the class if they were well but didn't want to. I believe if they are signed up for a swimming course through school they should commit to it and finish it. Too often children make the rules, not us adults. It's our job to show them that they have to stick at things and can't drop out because they don't feel like it.

[TEN!]

Too often children make the rules, not us adults.

I can assure you that is not the case in our house.

It's our job to show them that they have to stick at things and can't drop
out because they don't feel like it.

I wouldn't count swimming lessons among those things. It has been freezing in Sydney for the last week. She has been cold. Why would you force your child to be made to feel cold and miserable when she doesn't have to be?

She has her whole life to become proficient in swimming. Or not. She could decide tomorrow that she never wants to step foot in a pool again. Which will be her choice.

[noelaus3]

I would have sent my child to swimming unless she was sick. And if he/she was sick I would have kept her at home and not sent her to school. I agree with the idea if you start a programme or course you finish it unless you have a really good reason.

Just being cold would not cut it with me and I would suspect that they are trying to avoid the assessment and would have a discussion around that if.

My youngest son is one of those skinny kids with zero body fat as well but it doesn't stop him from swimming in an unheated pool or the ocean at the moment - we live near the beach north of sydney.