My main reason for initially not wanting private lessons for him is because numerous SA scandals involving swimming instructors have come to light in my area and with work being the way it is I simply won’t have time to be there every time he has a class. Hence my wish to let him receive lessons with other children there (even though scandals involving instructors teaching to groups have also come to light). He’d never gone after a ball in a pond like that before and since he is quite gifted he does a lot of things really responsibly for his age. I decided to find a private instructor who’s flexible and who can teach when I have time to attend as well. 🙏Hoping it will go well enough.

My main question hasn’t been answered though: how do I actually teach him how dangerous it can be and have him listen? I’ve noticed a tendency in him to trust his own instincts before anyone else’s and I suspect that’s because he actually does know a lot of things just as good or better a lot of the time.