A video posted by @barstoolsports showing a swim instructor push a fully-clothed, unsuspecting toddler into a swimming pool has gone viral. It started with a funny caption, “swim instructor woke up angry,” but the video received mixed reactions.
Swim instructor woke up angrypic.twitter.com/4aNqCIAa3m
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) February 20, 2023
With over 18 million views and over a thousand comments, people are divided on whether this tactic to teach a child to swim is really necessary. Several commented that they learned to swim just fine without being forced into the pool with all their clothes.
Yeah, people saying this is necessary training…no. It isn’t. This is not necessary, and kinda sadistic, tbh. Never had this done to me, and guess what? I learned to swim just fine. Pretty damn good at it, actually. Done it in various less-than-ideal circumstances too.
— Travis Costello (@traviscostello) February 21, 2023
Some people say this is a swimming exercise but i don’t get it. The kid is wearing a full coat. I doubt they can float even less swim
— WannabeSoccerPlayer (@Soccer_girl226) February 20, 2023
People are defending this for some reason? I learned how to swim at a young age and wasn’t thrown into the water like that.
— Travos Media he/him (@el_travos) February 21, 2023
But many tweeted their support for this kind of swim training at a young age to help kids understand how to survive in the water.
This is called ISR. Infant Swimming Resource. They can teach babies as young as 6 months old to float and survive a fall into the water. For older kids the final test is for them to float fully clothed. This looks mean, but it’s part of the curriculum.
— Adam Kruse (@akruser4) February 20, 2023
In coast guard bootcamp 10/100 people didn’t know how too swim 25% failed swim test, some people are just never going to learn. It’s better to face their fears when they’re youn them to let it develop into something they can’t get passed when they’re older.
— Matthew Kovacs (@mattnkleopards1) February 21, 2023
the comments on this are insane. did no one else have to jump in fully clothed (tracksuit level) at the end of swimming lessons every year??!! is it only an australian thing
— B (@ohyeahhii) February 21, 2023
it’s mind blowing how people don’t understand the concept of this
it’s quite literally a “real life scenario” that’s used at the end of weeks of swimming lessons that would save a young kid’s life if they were to unexpectedly fall in water
— kyle (@Kyle0G) February 20, 2023
What do you think? Is this the right way to teach a young child how to swim? Can it be counterproductive and cause children to fear the water and lose trust in swim instructors? Or is it the best way to teach a survival skill?
This article was produced by This Mom is On Fire.
Feature Image credit: ©OLHA TSIPLYAR from olharomaniuk via Canva.