Kerre Woodham Mornings Podcast Kerre McIvor: Importance of swimming lessons
Feb 8, 2022
05:07
I find it remarkable 30% of Kiwis cannot swim or float in the ocean for more than a few minutes.
Although, I'm a confident swimmer, I think it's far better to take my grandchildren for lessons, rather than try to teach them myself. But what happens if you don't have a spare $40 odd per week to enrol your two children into lessons? They are expensive and they deserve to be so given the quality of the facilities and the quality of the instructors. I absolutely think it's worth it, but there would be a lot of families who simply do not have that kind of disposable income.
A couple of Christchurch city councillors are calling for free access to swimming pools and lessons for the city's children as a way around the financial barriers. Their request will be discussed at a Council meeting on Thursday.
Somebody has to teach our kids how to swim. I grew up in a generation where we all had schools with pools, and that's where most of us had our first lessons. Now kids don't learn at school. If you have parents who cannot swim or who cannot pay for lessons, then you and your children are going to be disadvantaged.
One of the best things about living in this beautiful country is the access to our beaches and rivers and it is a crying shame if we're raising a generation of children who will see them as death traps and not aquatic playgrounds.
Although, I'm a confident swimmer, I think it's far better to take my grandchildren for lessons, rather than try to teach them myself. But what happens if you don't have a spare $40 odd per week to enrol your two children into lessons? They are expensive and they deserve to be so given the quality of the facilities and the quality of the instructors. I absolutely think it's worth it, but there would be a lot of families who simply do not have that kind of disposable income.
A couple of Christchurch city councillors are calling for free access to swimming pools and lessons for the city's children as a way around the financial barriers. Their request will be discussed at a Council meeting on Thursday.
Somebody has to teach our kids how to swim. I grew up in a generation where we all had schools with pools, and that's where most of us had our first lessons. Now kids don't learn at school. If you have parents who cannot swim or who cannot pay for lessons, then you and your children are going to be disadvantaged.
One of the best things about living in this beautiful country is the access to our beaches and rivers and it is a crying shame if we're raising a generation of children who will see them as death traps and not aquatic playgrounds.
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