I would deemphasize the idea that desire to swim is a strong natural instinct. Yes, some traits exist in infancy, but historical examples of populations in which few individuals ever learned to swim as an adult are a counterpoint. Such examples are frequent.

On the other hand, that points to something that I would emphasize: that despite the dangers of teaching children to swim, the dangers of not teaching children to swim is far greater. Drowning was a far more common cause of death in the 19th century, when swimming pools were rare and few people ever learned how to swim. In the same way, while helping children understand their sexuality carries dangers with it, the dangers of leaving children to their own devices are far greater.




Baldur