Kanemoto Alligator classes

I read somewhere that it isn't safe to expect a child younger than 4 to really, truly be able to swim unaccompanied.  I have personally seen children younger than Spencer who are true swimmers - but their moms and grandmas were swim instructors, so maybe they were a special case.  There are various (extremely expensive) places around here where they do immersion classes and teach babies as young as 6 months to swim.  I have heard from moms who loved these classes, but said it was hard to watch their children crying and sobbing through the early sessions, and I have heard from moms who think these classes are the next thing to irresponsible parenting, if not child abuse.  Personally, we don't have a pool or live near a body of water, and Spencer will not be in a position where he could be in the water without me for quite some time, so I am not really concerned with whether or not he can actually swim.  I am concerned with teaching him to have fun in the water and not be afraid, and to push his comfort zone while still being safe.  So for me, the Longmont swim classes are great.  The instructors are always kind.  Some of them have more skill with young kids than others, but they are all kind, and since lesson periods are not extremely long, he has generally gotten a new instructor every session - which means he is exposed to many teaching methods for the same things.  I think that is healthy.  Each time, he moves further along.  He will put almost all of his head underwater voluntarily now and will do whatever the teacher asks during class; he plays any game, tries anything he is asked to do.  He isn't spending any time thinking about whether or not that activity might make water go up his nose, for example.  In his last Alligators class, he went underwater all the way and stayed down there for several seconds, and wasn't upset or scared, but he won't do that on his own yet.  This is his third time in Alligators, and I feel good about that.  We'll just plan to stay at this level for awhile.

This round of classes is at Kanemoto pool.  The lessons are in the early evening, which is nice - no need to slather the sunscreen, it isn't so blazing hot, etc.  It is nice to get in a little more exercise for him before dinner, bath and bed (although he always comes home completely wired).  On the other hand, last summer, we had our Water Explorer classes before the pool opened, and could then stay and play for awhile after class.  This time, unless we wanted to sit around in a wet swimsuit for half an hour, we couldn't even go swim before class.  Last year, there was no charge for a child to play at Kanemoto, Sunset or the Longmont Rec Center after their swim class.  This year, it is full price.  I feel that that detracts from the value of the lessons, honestly.  It wouldn't hurt the pool or rec center to allow admission to be included with lessons, and it would make the lessons more affordable to me.  It would also mean a lot more pool time, since I know I'd be saying, "well, why not," and coordinating our days to go swimming a lot more often.  As it is, we have not yet been to the pool for a swim day this summer, but we have been to the free splash pads in Boulder and Longmont several times.  We do like his instructors and feel like he is progressing in the class, and he seems to love the classes,so maybe that's enough.