A very interesting article from TheStar.com. We are going into swimming lessons this summer as well, Kade has already been in them, but it will be the first unparented class for Ivy. I was actually shocked that less than half the country’s kids have taken lessons though, I didn’t think I was in the minority of thinkers that this isn’t just a sport to participate in, this is a vital life skill that children need to learn.
The YMCS offers all sorts of different programs, and funny enough, I was just talking to a woman at work who’s husband had never learned to swim! She only realized this when they went to Cuba this past year, and he refused to go into the swimming pool past his waist and literally clung to the edge of it in fear. I felt a lot of empathy for this grown up man who was absolutely terrified of the water, he was so embarassed that he had never told his wife and it put a damper on his trip. It made me realize that it IS such a valuable skill. However, lucky for them, the YMCA offers “Scared Stiff” lessons for adults that they are going to take together!
On to the article:
The unofficial launch of summer is now – Victoria Day weekend.
It’s also the time for another unofficial seasonal launch: That of drownings and near drownings clustered around weekends during our hottest weather from May through September.
What’s haunting is that most of these accidents are easily preventable. Drowning is a leading cause of injury-related deaths for Canadian children yet surveys show less than half of the country’s kid have taken swimming lessons.
Children of immigrants are disproportionately at risk, believes the Lifesaving Society of Ontario, because they come from countries where recreational swimming is not common.
We hope to change that.
The Toronto Star, in partnership with the YMCA of Greater Toronto, is giving 100 GTA children between the ages of 6 and 12 eight weeks of swimming and water safety instruction this summer. Youngsters will be recruited by community leaders and will use Scarborough’s Stephen Leacock C.I. pool for lessons.
A few of the youngsters will conquer their fear of water by the end of the eight weeks. Some will learn to float. Others will be slicing across the pool like future Olympians. All, however, will have experienced the fun and value of making swimming skills part of their lifestyle.
One hundred children. It’s a small group in a big city.
But we expect they’ll make a splash in encouraging other GTA families to ensure their children, too, are water safe this summer.
We’ll follow them throughout the summer and let you know how they progress.
Hey thanks for the informative post