Back floating has receive a lot of attention is recent years, with some suggesting that teaching back floating will drown proof babies. World Wide Swim School must stress that no child or adult is drown proof.
Children are only safe in or around water when they are being strictly supervised by an adult. Preschool children are best kept at arm’s length when around water.
Drowning prevention requires a number of barriers to protect children. These include pool fencing, well maintained fences, supervision and resuscitation. Visit www.kidsalive.com.au for water safety information.
Of particular concern in the back floating fad are the methods in which babies are being taught. World Wide Swim School is critical of any swimming method in which children are aggressively forced on their back while they are crying and distressed. Baby swimming should be a pleasurable experience for both parent and child.
World Wide Swim School considers back floating to be a skill that should be encouraged but not forced.
Physical development has a huge bearing on whether children will voluntarily participate in back floating activities. Generally, once infants learn to sit up they no longer enjoy back floating.
The innovative teacher will find fun ways to encourage children to voluntarily back float in the swimming lesson without aggression.
Parents and teachers should encourage back floating only if baby is happy and never aggressively force this swimming skill upon them while they are crying or distressed.
Laurie Lawrence