Swimming

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   HOWARDTHEDUCK1posted 12 years ago

   
   How old would you say a child should be befor they are allowed to try swimming fully clothed in shoes and socks on thier own?
   I have asked my parents about doing this and they have said they will think about it.
   Now I am 13 I can not wait to try doing this amd I wish my parents would give me the go ahead to try doing it

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2. 59

   recommend1posted 12 years ago

   Oh no!!!!   What is it with this man??  I am not sure what, why or how this kind of bizarre perversion develops or what weird thing it satisfies -   but posing as a child to ask the question  is definately not right,  even though I am not sure why !!!   

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   1. 60

      HOWARDTHEDUCK1posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I do notknow what you are meaning this is my first post  and i am no pervert i am only 13 as i have said in the post

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         recommend1posted 12 years agoin reply to this

         If you are 13 you are not allowed to be here - bye.

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3. 70

   Tusitala Tomposted 12 years ago

   I've have never heard of parents wanting to find out how their kids could handle a swim fully clothed, though if they live in an area which is often subject to flash-flooding this might be something they consider from a 'safety' angle.  Does seem rather unusual.
   
   However, when I was in the Australian Navy years ago, one test we had to undertake was to swim the length of an Olympic sized swimming pool with our clothes on - but minus boots or shoes. 
   
   Let me tell you it is very much harder than swimming in a bathing suit or swimming togs.  The drag of clothing through the water is very exhausting.  Knowing you could do it to, say, reach out to something close by if you fell into water is good to know.  But as far as swimming any distance - forget it!

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      Kathryn L Hillposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      There is a lifesaving skill called disrobing. This is very important to learn and be able to do.

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4. 81

   Kathryn L Hillposted 12 years ago

   You should take swimming lessons and work your way up to Jr. Lifeguard. You will learn a skill called disrobing. This is a skill you will need to master through practice. You get in the water wearing all your clothes including your shoes. You have to untie them and slip them off, then the pants. Then you have to blow up the pants and as you rest on the now floating pants you take off the shirt... or you can even blow up the shirt while it is on you. For me, I like to get those shoes and pants off first. Then I can kick my legs effectively to keep myself up. Remember, that your body is very buoyant.  Get an older lifeguard to help you if you want to experiment wearing your clothes in the water. Disrobing is an important lifesaving skill to learn and could help you save your life if you ever fall out of a boat. But you should be wearing a life jacket, of course.
   Also, I do not know why there is an age limit to write on hubPages. I think it would be great to have a
   Kids' HubPages!

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5. 96

   LongTimeMotherposted 12 years ago

   Hey Howard, this is a great question. I am Australian and when I was in school - younger than you are now - our entire class had to bring a full set of clothes to one of our swimming lessons and jump in the water wearing them. We did this for at least one class each summer for years. Every child when I was young had to learn how to cope in the water in their clothes without panic ... and without drowning.
   I have made all my children do exactly the same thing, starting from a rather young age. Here's why it is so important ....
   You might fall out of a boat, you might fall off a jetty, you might fall into a swimming pool, you might end up in flood water, you might have to race into the sea or the ocean when you're a bit older to rescue someone who is drowning. Swimming in long trousers and long sleeves is very different to just swimming in your bathers and a t-shirt. It certainly needs practice, and you need to be able to get out of heavy clothing if necessary. Now do not - under any circumstances - jump in the deep end of a swimming pool wearing a woollen sweater. But if you have an old one that you can wear in the water, it would be interesting for you to be in very shallow water and feel just how heavy clothing can be.
   If your mother is worried about you ruining your old clothes, why not ask her if you can go and buy some cheap second-hand clothes for the exercise. Choose your shoes carefully because you don't want to ruin good leather ones. Many types of runners can be washed in the washing machine, and they'd be good for this purpose.
   Ask your mother to come along, and make sure you have a strong swimmer nearby who can help pull you from the water if you need it. Don't just try it once. Try it a few times on the same day ... and again some other time later.
   To be honest with you, on hot days in Australia when we had a swimming pool in our yard, I used to throw my children in the pool fully dressed so they could cool off and they could also practice swimming in their clothes. Mind you, they used to push me in as well. It was great fun. If my kids fall in the water in their clothes all they have to worry about is whether or not their phone is in their pocket.
   Have fun and good luck.

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