Parental Arts
How to Raise a Water Baby
Over 125,000 Instagram followers wake up every morning to ocean scenes courtesy of @aquabumps. Here, the dad behind the feed explains how he and his wife are teaching their sons to love swimming.
- Photography
- Eugene Tan, Chris Prestidge
- Written By
- Eugene Tan
Most people’s feelings about the ocean develop when they are very small. My love for it began when I was growing up in Perth, Australia. My dad used to take me and my two brothers down to Cottesloe, a nearby beach town. We would ride on his back in the waves. Not long after that, I was biking 45 minutes to the beach so I could swim before school. When I was older and working as a creative director at a digital agency in Sydney, I started waking up every morning before sunrise to take photos of the ocean at dawn. People started to ask for the prints, so I took a leap of faith, and in 2004, I quit my job and opened a small gallery space in Bondi Beach to showcase my work. Because the ocean is such a big part of our lives, it’s only natural that both our boys Jet, 7, and Spike, 5, are growing up in the sea. But they weren’t always fans. One thing is for certain: You can’t force it. So, here’s how my wife, Debbie, and I have been teaching our boys to love and respect the water.
Start Young
We introduced our boys to the ocean when they were newborns – just a dip in the summer months. Not everyone takes to it right away. Our younger son, Spike, took a little longer to like the ocean, and only this summer has he really started to enjoy it. Both our boys had swimming lessons from when they were 5 months old, which meant they were confident with being in the water from an early age.
Start Young
We introduced our boys to the ocean when they were newborns – just a dip in the summer months. Not everyone takes to it right away. Our younger son, Spike, took a little longer to like the ocean, and only this summer has he really started to enjoy it. Both our boys had swimming lessons from when they were 5 months old, which meant they were confident with being in the water from an early age.
A Little Screaming is Normal
Both the boys screamed their heads off at swimming lessons for the first few months, clinging to their mum, Deb, for dear life. She would always be in the pool with them, which helped because all babies know in those early months of life are their mums. The ocean is different. The waves can be scary for a little person, so it helps to start with an ocean pool or the flat part of the ocean with no waves. Let your kids discover the ocean for themselves as opposed to forcing them. If they get scared early on, it can put them off for years, so we were always careful to let them lead.
Take Some Seaside Road Trips
When the weather turns warm, pack up the boards and hop in the car. Make sure your kids look up in the car and enjoy the journey as much as the destination. Take your time. Kids hate to rush. Stop often for a dip in the sea — that way the sea becomes a treat.
Both the boys screamed their heads off at swimming lessons for the first few months, clinging to their mum, Deb, for dear life. She would always be in the pool with them, which helped because all babies know in those early months of life are their mums. The ocean is different. The waves can be scary for a little person, so it helps to start with an ocean pool or the flat part of the ocean with no waves. Let your kids discover the ocean for themselves as opposed to forcing them. If they get scared early on, it can put them off for years, so we were always careful to let them lead.
Take Some Seaside Road Trips
When the weather turns warm, pack up the boards and hop in the car. Make sure your kids look up in the car and enjoy the journey as much as the destination. Take your time. Kids hate to rush. Stop often for a dip in the sea — that way the sea becomes a treat.
Foster Independence
Both boys wore floatation devices, but only for a short time when they were very young. It wasn't long before they were ready to let go and do their own things. A pool is very different than the ocean. In our case, we let our older son have freedom in the pool from 5 years on so long as one of was watching him. In the ocean, you have to be a little more careful. The key is to recognize when they are strong enough swimmers to get themselves out of trouble. That’s when you can start letting them do some things by themselves.
But Set Some Ground Rules
“You can’t go in the ocean without one of your parents” is the ultimate rule. Even though both boys can swim, the ocean can be unpredictable, so there needs to be an adult with them at all times.
In the ocean education is more of an ongoing thing. Jet, who is 7, has the confidence of a 10-year-old in the water. Even though he’s comfortable in the surf, I’ll be forever educating him about rip tides and how the water moves and never turning his back to the waves. He should have a good enough read on the water to have ultimate freedom in the surf by age of 12 or 14.
Both boys wore floatation devices, but only for a short time when they were very young. It wasn't long before they were ready to let go and do their own things. A pool is very different than the ocean. In our case, we let our older son have freedom in the pool from 5 years on so long as one of was watching him. In the ocean, you have to be a little more careful. The key is to recognize when they are strong enough swimmers to get themselves out of trouble. That’s when you can start letting them do some things by themselves.
But Set Some Ground Rules
“You can’t go in the ocean without one of your parents” is the ultimate rule. Even though both boys can swim, the ocean can be unpredictable, so there needs to be an adult with them at all times.
In the ocean education is more of an ongoing thing. Jet, who is 7, has the confidence of a 10-year-old in the water. Even though he’s comfortable in the surf, I’ll be forever educating him about rip tides and how the water moves and never turning his back to the waves. He should have a good enough read on the water to have ultimate freedom in the surf by age of 12 or 14.
Swim Together as a Family
In the summer we start most mornings with a swim. The boys love diving under the waves. I’ll often find them down at the beach with Deb after I’ve been shooting the sunrise. We love surfing together as a family: Jet on his board, my wife Deb on hers and Spike on the front of my board. It’s a new development. Only this summer did our little one gain the confidence to come out in the swells. It’s a beautiful thing to watch your kids fall in love with the sea and be drawn to the things that bring you such happiness. No one ever regrets a surf, a swim or just being by the ocean. It's calming and healing, and I hope they always stay close to it where ever they end up.
Eugene Tan is a Sydney, Australia-based surf photographer where he also owns a gallery. To view more of his work, visit Aquabumps Gallery. Or follow Eugene Tan @aquabumps.
In the summer we start most mornings with a swim. The boys love diving under the waves. I’ll often find them down at the beach with Deb after I’ve been shooting the sunrise. We love surfing together as a family: Jet on his board, my wife Deb on hers and Spike on the front of my board. It’s a new development. Only this summer did our little one gain the confidence to come out in the swells. It’s a beautiful thing to watch your kids fall in love with the sea and be drawn to the things that bring you such happiness. No one ever regrets a surf, a swim or just being by the ocean. It's calming and healing, and I hope they always stay close to it where ever they end up.
Eugene Tan is a Sydney, Australia-based surf photographer where he also owns a gallery. To view more of his work, visit Aquabumps Gallery. Or follow Eugene Tan @aquabumps.