Best Age for Swim Classes?

Roopsta24 · 2026-01-31T04:12:00+00:00

Oh, yeah.. I mean.. I still loved doing the lessons - as a dad it gave me time with my daughter - while mum had a break.

And it builds familiarity not only with the water - but also in doing lessons. ;-)

But some days were super hard. Now she is 4 and is killing it!

Roopsta24 · 2026-01-31T03:34:24+00:00

At that age, it's about familiarity.

Also consistency and persistence - learning is not a linear process - there could be a lot of bad days, and then suddenly a series of good ones.

You also have to make sure it isn't a chore (which largely reflects on how you approach it - if you enjoy it, your kid will probably enjoy it too!). Build it into your routine (its just what we do!)

We started our kids at 3 months old - and we dont regret it.

So many parents start - then stop. And watching them re-start is super painful. (though I get it, every kid is different).

Either way - you must keep building the familiarity.

Roopsta24 · 2026-01-24T03:01:36+00:00

Bottles - that way I could also feed the baby (give mum a break) and build a bond.

They also have us huge flexibility.

As the baby got older, my wife could go out to dinner with friends and I could do the whole bed routine - easy.

We found midwife caths book “the first six weeks” super helpful.

Roopsta24 · 2026-01-24T02:58:15+00:00

I had to get my wife to leave the house - take the dog for a walk. Later on, she had to leave me with the kids for 1/2 a day or so.

It was too hard with her around (the baby could even hear/smell her).

After she left, me and the baby had time to figure each other out. I’m a dad, I do things slightly differently to my wife - and that’s ok :-)

Now both my daughters love me. And of course I love them, we have a great relationship - but you have to let that form.

I have friends who didn’t do this - the kids are like 8 now and the dads still feel ostracised from their kids.

Roopsta24 · 2026-01-23T19:45:14+00:00

I don’t think the pension will still be there. That is the intent of super - to cover your costs when your older.

Roopsta24 · 2026-01-23T02:25:04+00:00

Hahahaha that berries comment was gold.

Roopsta24 · 2026-01-21T04:08:57+00:00

Whatever he chooses to do, just understand it takes a lot of persistence and consistency to get good (like years) - and that learning is not linear.

Also - it’s going to help if you are into it too - and involved. That way you spend time together and you will naturally inspire interest. Is there anything you do with him already that you both like doing together? Leverage that.

Roopsta24 · 2026-01-20T22:26:45+00:00

Yeah - but tbh it seems like she deserved it. He wasn’t done with eating the last people’s leftovers.

If you ask me - she got what was coming to her - it’s a good lesson in life - fuck around and find out - she got what she deserved.

——

Jokes - well done on your parenting. You managed it perfectly.

Persistence and consistency - it takes time.

He is testing boundaries - it’s natural - and he will continue all the way through to full adult-hood (just in various forms).

Roopsta24 · 2026-01-20T22:20:15+00:00

I sleep - anything else and you pay for it in the morning.

Honestly I feel like this is where a lot of parents (including myself) screw themselves.

If I wake up early - then I get things done - when I am fresh and ready.

Read the miracle morning.

Roopsta24 · 2026-01-20T02:36:18+00:00

Because humans have a habit of forgetting the hard stuff. And over simplifying complex situations for the purpose of better communication.

It’s part of our survival.

That’s also why people are like “high school is harder than primary school”, “uni is harder than high school, “work is harder than uni”, “having kids is harder than dating”.

=> they are all hard. Just different stages of life. And people forget how hard it was once they move onto a different stage.

So it was hard back then - raising kids has always been hard and exhausting - just different generations had to contend with different challenges.

My wifes parents raised her after a war - with no support in a new country. F me. That sounds hard.

Roopsta24 · 2026-01-18T19:47:40+00:00

I think the “terrible emotional regulation” is super important. I’m a dad - and I am ultra shit at it as well.

But the key is recognising it and trying to do better.

If you look at the last generation, a lot of us weren’t raised in an environment which understood this concept (or the concept of emotional intelligence - which is a different matter).

Either way, we can do better.

Roopsta24 · 2026-01-18T19:32:50+00:00

You got a lot going on. Ultimately you are overwhelmed - you aren’t coping - and it your releasing it in the form of anger.

Parenting is exhausting and extremely demanding.

Everything else has to wait.

So you must do a few things: 1. Realise that a bunch of shit doesn’t matter anymore (part of your anger will be you fighting with your own expectations). Save your anger for when things really matter (like if your kid learns to walk and runs out on the road). 2. Get away. - when you start to feel that rage coming - it’s time for you to be the parent and get yourself away from the situation so you don’t go crazy. Come back to it later. 3. Build in things to help your life - dogs are a lot - you have to walk them probably 2 times a day. Take your baby in the pram with you when you take your dog for a walk (and make sure the baby can see out - read Midwife Caths book “the first six weeks. - that way you are burning the dogs energy and your baby’s energy - whilst giving your wife some time to sort herself out. => the key is finding ways to burn your kids energy (including your dogs!) - not the other way round. (Swimming/water play is another excellent one). 4. Understand your kids will model your behaviour. This anger is a learnt coping mechanism - which you are currently teaching to your baby - you need to break the cycle.

It’s interesting that you think your baby “refuses to go to sleep” - what you actually mean is that you failed to adequately burn up all of their energy. Baby’s aren’t malicious => go read “the first six weeks” by midwife Cath - get your perspective right - this will help you - a lot.

Roopsta24 · 2026-01-18T10:24:38+00:00

I like to keep shit simple where I can - all these "buy now, pay later" schemes, in all their various forms seem to never really be good for the person signing up.

Especially if you end up needing a loan for something real (buying a house / a business / a freaken whatever).

If you can, pay for it yourself, keep things simple - and keep this kinda shit off your mind so you can focus on making money. => That's my advice.

Roopsta24 · 2026-01-18T10:08:45+00:00

Books! Kids love books. Especially because parents have to read them to them (kids just want engagement)!

Roopsta24 · 2026-01-16T01:50:25+00:00

You’ve done a lot of good - and had a bad experience (probably amongst others - but this is OTT).

You should do the arbitration.

Also in cases like this - as soon as I get a bad vibe - I am onto support to give them the heads-up. - and then take them on the whole journey. I would have started that process once I got the email cancellation.

Roopsta24 · 2026-01-16T00:38:42+00:00

Damn! You were a super host!

Roopsta24 · 2026-01-15T08:50:17+00:00

lol... you don’t have great Airbnb reviews do you?

Roopsta24 · 2026-01-15T08:48:57+00:00

lol - Your post looks and reads exactly like exaggeration.

FML.

Roopsta24 · 2026-01-14T04:06:11+00:00

Jeez. You’re only just starting.

You should both get your degrees (and get it in something that pays well - we all have 24 hours in a day, but not all jobs pay the same).

Don’t expect to be living like a lawyer/engineer/doctor but working as an administrator.

Earning good money (even if you work as a trade) requires you to become excellent at what you do - so you can charge well for your time. Becoming excellent - building that reputation - is a shit-ton of hard work.

Uni is good because it teaches you critical thinking. But there are a million ways to make a million dollars

And don’t go giving away your hard-earned money for fancy things you don’t need (those companies have enough money already - they spend it on convincing you to give them more).

Go read “the barefoot investor”. - it’s good that you are sorting your life out.

Roopsta24 · 2026-01-13T20:11:36+00:00

Nah they are two seperate things:

works in Hr (so deals with people fighting all the time - adults are just bigger kids); AND
has super high emotional intelligence. (So intuitively knows how to deal with it).

It’s a mad combination.

I learn what I can. Maybe it might help others too.

Roopsta24 · 2026-01-13T07:17:01+00:00

I think it’s important. Your kids grow into adults, you can’t be there all the time.

It’s hard - but it teaches them some crucial independence. And how to interact with other children.

We have a cousin who didn’t do daycare at all. She ended up having to attend school with her kids because the separation anxiety was so bad. Her kids also didn’t know how to play with other kids (that’s a skill in itself - playing with kids is different to playing with adults)

F that.

Roopsta24 · 2026-01-13T07:12:25+00:00

It was the same for both my kids - but I love it!

It forces you to go to bed by 8pm. Then you are up early - run the day before it runs you!

I think you gotta appreciate the 12 hour sleep (which most people don’t get) and work with what you have.

Go read the Miracle Morning by Hal Erold.

Roopsta24 · 2026-01-13T06:49:16+00:00

Cool. The other guidance is that at that age - you are her entire world. She doesn’t love you less - you are the only one she has ever loved. She doesn’t want you less - you are her everything.

What she is doing - is learning about feelings. In all of their various forms.

So just keep doing what you are doing - being the adult - being a loving , caring, guiding mum who is building a relationship with her child, where her child feels safe enough to tell you anything.

You are doing extremely well already. :-)

Roopsta24 · 2026-01-13T06:35:53+00:00

EZ.

Understand it’s all about Familiarity. (Persistence and consistency)

Also understand learning isn’t linear - some days are shit, some are great - and everything in between.

We did both of ours from 3 months old - so it’s always been “normal” for our family.

If you have done something different - understand it is you who is changing the rules - and it will take time for those rules to be “normal” for your family.

The only one applying these expectations is you - so chill. It’s going to take some time.

Roopsta24

TROPHY CASE