Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

When Did You Learn To Swim?

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread		 This topic is archived.
Home » Discuss » The DU Lounge Donate to DU
 
arwalden Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-26-03 04:45 PM
Original message
Poll question: When Did You Learn To Swim?
... assuming you did learn at all, I mean.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
HereSince1628 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-26-03 04:47 PM
Response to Original message
1. Add to poll--just after going down the second time?
,
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Padraig18 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-26-03 04:48 PM
Response to Original message
2. My mam taught us
Edited on Sun Oct-26-03 04:49 PM by Padraig18
She taught us how to hold our breaths and so on as toddlers, and how to dog paddle as tykes. As our farm bordered a river, she thought it a sensible thing to teach us as early as possible. :)
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
arwalden Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-26-03 04:48 PM
Response to Original message
3. We lived not far from a lake in south Georgia...
... I can barely recall NOT being able to swim.

-- Allen
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Cush Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-26-03 04:49 PM
Response to Original message
4. I was 7 or 8
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
proud patriot Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-26-03 04:50 PM
Response to Original message
5. I was 5
:hi:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
markses Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-26-03 04:52 PM
Response to Original message
6. I was 3 - Dad threw me in the deep end
Said, "Swim!"

I did.

Of all the population subgroups that mystify me, adult non-swimmers mystifies me the most. How can you NOT know how to swim? I simply don't understand it. You move your arms and swim! It ain't friggin' rocket science.

I secretly think that adults who are scared of swimming are just stupid. I know that's wrong, but oh well, I been wrong before! ;-)
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
arwalden Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-26-03 05:00 PM
Response to Reply #6
11. Fear grips some folks... lack of opportunity prevents others...
My Huck-Finn childhood sometimes makes me forget that some folks grew up in aptartment complexes with no pools or small towns that had no public pool.

-- Allen
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
RuB Donating Member (402 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-26-03 04:54 PM
Response to Original message
7. As a child when my sister pushed me in the deep end of the pool.
nt
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
trof Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-26-03 04:54 PM
Response to Original message
8. YMCA
Around 7 or 8.
I started as a "Minnow" and graduated as a "Shark".
I was sooooo proud.
And you have inspired another thread.
Look for it coming to a forum near you soon.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
kayleybeth Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-26-03 04:56 PM
Response to Original message
9. YWCA when I was 5
My mother never learned to swim so she made sure my sister and I got lessons at a very early age.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Nay Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-26-03 04:58 PM
Response to Original message
10. I don't remember ever 'learning' to swim.
We lived on the Fla. coast and were in the water before we could walk, so we swam and walked without learning per se. My brother and I are like fish now -- totally at home in the water.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
La_Serpiente Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-26-03 05:01 PM
Response to Original message
12. I was 4 years old
Hawaii has its perks
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Cheswick2.0 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-26-03 05:21 PM
Response to Reply #12
13. I was four also, but I learned in a cold mountain lake in NY State
Having lake property in your family for over 100 years also has it's perks!
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Noordam Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-26-03 06:15 PM
Response to Reply #13
16. Spent 5 years in Rome NY
cold lakesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Nikia Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-26-03 05:42 PM
Response to Original message
14. My parents took me to infant classes
I think that the minimum age at the Y was 6 months for those classes. I took progressive lessons. I think that I could have took them for one more level but I joined the swim team when I was 8 instead.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Meshuga Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-26-03 05:48 PM
Response to Original message
15. I was five...
n/t
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Lydia Leftcoast Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-26-03 07:27 PM
Response to Original message
17. Neither of my parents had ever learned to swim
and my mother was pretty nervous about us kids doing anything she couldn't do, so in spite of growing up surrounded by lakes, we were never allowed to go into water above our waists.

Finally, during my freshman year in college, I took beginning swimming for one of my required gym classes.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
MaineDem Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-26-03 07:33 PM
Response to Original message
18. I don't remember
It seems I've always been able to swim. I never could finish the WSI course, though.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
baldguy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-26-03 07:54 PM
Response to Original message
19. 4 yrs old
My parents had a pool. My dad threw me in and let my survival insticts take over.

I'm still here 36 yrs later, so I guess it worked.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Skittles Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-26-03 11:32 PM
Response to Original message
20. University of Wisconsin students
Edited on Sun Oct-26-03 11:33 PM by Skittles
taught me, at Lake Mendota in Madison. I was eight years old.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Lady Freedom Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Oct-26-03 11:36 PM
Response to Original message
21. There is no way on earth I am going to!
NO No NO! Can't Make me either! Never never NEVER!!!!!
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Piperay Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Oct-27-03 05:48 AM
Response to Original message
22. Never learned inspite of
living by the ocean and having cousins with pools, I floated around on inner tubes just never learned swim and to old to now. :-( :shrug:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
flama Donating Member (418 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Oct-27-03 06:29 AM
Response to Original message
23. Took one lesson when I was 7
The instructor was our next-door neighbor. When a little boy balked at getting in the pool, she picked me up and threw me in. (What are neighbors for? Heeheehee.)

My legs buckled and wouldn't straighten up so I could stick my nose above water. I crouched at the bottom of the pool for what seemed like an hour. All the while, I just knew I was going to die down there because my stupid neighbor wouldn't pull me out in time.

Obviously, she did pull me out or I wouldn't be writing this. The experience left me with an overwhelming fear of water so I never learned to swim.

I drown pretty good, though. ;-)
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
northzax Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Oct-27-03 08:45 AM
Response to Original message
24. knowing how to swim
simply implies that you are a bad sailor, so why bother?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
GOPisEvil Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Oct-27-03 08:48 AM
Response to Original message
25. I learned at about age 8 or 9...bad ears kept me from learning sooner.
I had the dreaded tube implants in my ears as a small child (Twice!!). So, I was unable to learn to swim until my ear problems cleared up. Eventually, I became a lifeguard and swim instructor myself. :-)
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
DU AdBot (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view this author's profile Click to add this author to your buddy list Click to add this author to your Ignore list Sun May 05th 2024, 04:07 AM
Response to Original message
Advertisements [?]
 Top

Home » Discuss » The DU Lounge Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators

Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC