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“Kick! Kick! Kick!”

Parents:  Stop Using the K- Word…

We have the pool to ourselves for our residential swimming courses and we don’t teach during school holidays any more. But, when we were teaching at busier times, there may have been a family coming in for a swim after our lessons had ended.  

I’d be in the changing room wondering who’d arrived – How many children? How old? What fun toys have they brought?  

Sometimes I’d hear two parents, and perhaps a grandparent or two as well, all excitedly shouting instructions and encouragement, and I’d imagine there were quite a few children in the water. When I left the changing room and saw just the one bewildered youngster I wanted to offer them a pair of earplugs! It’s not surprising that, as soon as they’re comfortable underwater, that’s where children want to stay!  

Within a couple of minutes I’d hear the inevitable, excited “Kick, kick, kick!”  Usually, a triple ‘kick’. Sometimes more, never less. This “kick, kick, kick” might just as well be “quick, quick, quick” or even “panic, panic, panic”!  

Children love to move about a lot and shout and splash. They’ll do all that without any encouragement! What they sometimes miss is how they don’t need to be rushing or moving the whole time and how much fun they can have sneaking through the water silently.  

I’ve thought of alternatives to the K word. Considered a whispered “Swishy, swishy”. But, in my head, I usually settle on a loud ““SSSHHHHHHHH”!

 

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