Select Region
Let's Get Social!


Ask @DadandBuried: How Can I Help My Child Get the Courage to Dunk His Head When Swimming?

Ask @DadandBuried: How Can I Help My Child Get the Courage to Dunk His Head When Swimming?

Kids can sometimes be hesitant to dunk their heads under water when swimming, so how can you encourage kids without constantly trying to convince them?


Mike Julianelle, the 40-something father of two behind @dadandburied, is our go-to friend when it comes to parenting advice. He tells it like it is and gives us a good laugh along the way—and that's just what we need. This month’s question: How can I get my kid to dunk their head in the pool?

“My son just turned 7, and he loves to swim. The only problem is he’s scared of putting his head under the water, and it really limits how much fun he can have. How do I get him to take the plunge?” —Robert, Rye

First of all, I don’t appreciate the pun. But I’ll forgive you for it, because a few years ago, I was in the exact same boat. (Two can play that game!) My now-10-year-old was struggling with this very issue. Actually, I was the one struggling, because I was so desperate for him to overcome his fears and finally dunk his head in the swimming pool

His grandparents have a pool, and we are lucky to have access to it during the summer. My kid loves nothing more than to spend the day frolicking in the water, but the idea of getting fully submerged freaked him out. Playing with him in the pool was like playing with my wife in the pool, right after she’d gotten her hair done.

Anyone who swims knows that you’re not really swimming until you go under water, and I knew for a fact that my son would love it. Dunking your head opens up a whole new pool experience—one that includes jumping into the pool, riding water slides, getting thrown around by Dad, and more. I was begging my son to just rip the bandage off and dunk his head just once, so he would realize it was no big thing. Then the real fun could begin.



RELATED: How to Reduce Children’s Risk of Drowning

Of course, the more I begged, the more he resisted, and the more he resisted, the more frustrated I got. What should have been a fun milestone had turned into a vendetta, and suddenly our visits to Grandma and Pop-pop’s house were fraught with stress for both of us. Eventually, I realized he needed to work at his own pace, and he would come to it on his own.

I loosened my grip as best I could, stopped chirping at him every time he got in the pool, and tried to pretend I didn’t care. When he finally did it, I showered him (there I go again!) with praise. He realized that I had been right all along, that it wasn’t a big deal, and it was a lot more fun that way. It was a great moment for both of us, and he’s never looked back. 

One of the hardest things to do as a parent is to convince your kids to try something new. Kids are stubborn and getting them to try a new food, a new bedtime story, even a new movie can often be like pulling teeth. Even if you know for a fact that they’re gonna love it once they get their feet wet (I can’t stop!), convincing them of that fact can be just about impossible. 

Sometimes letting go is the best thing you can do. That’s also really hard to do, but if you can manage, it will probably pay off. And then you get to do the absolute hardest thing in parenting: not screaming “I TOLD YOU SO!” in your kid’s face.

RELATED: Find Swimming Lessons for Your Child

More Parenting Articles:

Student Struggling in School: 8 Simple Things You Can Do at Home to Help

Experts share how parents can help if their student is struggling in school, whether it’s in a certain subject or learning in person rather than at ho...


Latest News:

Parents Call on MTA to Remove Open-Stroller Ban on NYC Buses

New York City parents are advocating to change the open-stroller ban on NYC buses.


Family Activities:



Have a Laugh:

Best Memes of the Week for Parents

Here are the funniest parenting memes from Instagram, Facebook, and Reddit this week.
Mike Julianelle

Author:

Mike Julianelle is the Brooklyn dad behind the popular blog, DadandBuried.com, and its Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts.

See More

Featured Listings:

Squire Camps, Inc.

Squire Camps, Inc.

Hartsdale, NY Welcome to Squire Advantage, a unique camp, whose philosophy is to allow campers to enhance their innate abilities by choosing a program that is total...

Care.com HomePay

Care.com HomePay

Austin, Texas When you hire a sitter, nanny, senior caregiver, housekeeper, or another household employee, it's important to understand how payroll & taxes work, as...

Twin Parks Montessori schools

Twin Parks Montessori schools

Twin Parks Montessori Schools nurtures a child’s natural tendency to learn. Our 3 campuses on the Upper West Side serve children from 3 months to 5 y...

The Waldorf School of Garden City

The Waldorf School of Garden City

Garden City, NY Founded in 1947, The Waldorf School of Garden City is an independent, coeducational, college-preparatory day school for students age three through twe...