We love it when we see dads in the water with their little ones during our Parent Tot lessons. Don’t get us wrong, we love seeing moms in the water too, but there’s something extra precious about daddy and baby in the pool that makes us melt.
Not only is it oh-so-sweet, but there are a few perks to dad joining in for parent tot lessons. Here are just a few of them!
1. A chance to bond
Moms tend to get plenty of time with their infants through breastfeeding, babywearing, and cuddling. The skin-to-skin contact is a great chance for mom and baby to bond. When dad is in the water holding his little one, they get a chance for this skin-to-skin contact as well. This contact boosts baby’s mental development, promotes healthy weight, and promotes bonding with dad.
2. Less hesitant of submersions
We find that dads tend to be less hesitant about putting their little ones underwater. Our parent tot lessons encourage gentle and frequent submersions, because it is a part of learning how to swim and building comfort in the water. Dads tend to roll with these submersions casually, helping their swimmers adjust to them quickly.
3. A change of pace
Often when toddlers are at home with mom for the majority of the day, they start to turn their listening ears off to what mom has to say. Having dad take your toddler to the pool provides a break in routine for everyone and can be the fresh start kids need to turn their listening ears back on.
4. Break for mom
While dad is at swim lessons, mom can enjoy some much needed alone time. You can choose to watch the lessons on the sidelines, or just stay home and take a bubble bath without any interruptions. Either way, we bet you’ll enjoy a break from someone needing you for those 30 minutes!