Supported Back Glides (Parent Tot) (skill)
Definition: Back glides for infants and parent-tot swimmers using one of three supports: chest to back, head on shoulder, or head in hand.
Core cues:
- "Chest to back: Use palms on back or football hold to press child’s back to your chest. Let them get comfortable. Keep ears above water."
- "Head on shoulder: Press your cheek against child’s cheek. Lodge head against your shoulder and control depth. Avoid ears in water until child is comfortable."
- "Head in hand: With your palm up, wrap your fingers and thumb around the base of the child’s head and neck. Keep child’s face above water and ears in water."
Coach interpretation:
- Chest to back: Use palms on back or football hold to press child’s back to your chest; let them get comfortable; keep ears above water.
- Head on shoulder: Press your cheek against child’s cheek; lodge head against your shoulder; control depth; avoid ears in water until child is comfortable.
- Head in hand: With your palm up, wrap your fingers and thumb around the base of the child’s head and neck; keep child’s face above water and ears in water.
Teaching strategy:
Go slow. Be loving and gentle. Provide support at all times to swimmers. Tell parents to keep their own face in front of the child’s as much as possible. When doing back glides it is good to have the instructor start them with the child facing the parent. Or do in a group. The child will calm when the parent is in view. Doing back glides or floats in a group is helpful to distract child from fear of not seeing parent. Ask to do activities too: be involved with each parent and child. Offer to do front glides and back glides with the child while the parent watches. Create a connection between you and the child and the parent. Your interaction will build trust and comfort. Show and explain: as you do activities with the child and parent explain why you’re doing it, and how it relates to a larger swimming skill. Parents like to know “why.”
Common errors and corrections:
- Ears in water before the child is comfortable: Avoid ears in water until child is comfortable.
- Child fears not seeing parent: Have the instructor start them with the child facing the parent, or do in a group; the child will calm when the parent is in view.
- Doing something that will traumatize the child: Never do something that will traumatize the child. Scoop, not dunk. Never dunk or throw a child in water to let them “sink or swim.”
Progression:
Supported Front Glides precedes this skill; when progressing to underwater do so slowly, over many lessons and after hours and hours of time spent in the water having fun.