It took my son’s meltdown and a lightbulb moment for me to stop parenting on autopilot | Conal Hanna

I always dealt with my son's resistance to swimming class with cuddles, reassurance and rewards. Then one day I tried something radical: listening to him and empathising

• Sharing the Load is a column about parenting children of all ages

How can I stop my son's meltdowns at the swimming pool?

The dawning realisation of my limitations as a parent came in the aftermath of a(nother) pre-swimming meltdown. My son was approaching four at the time but still swam like a baby. That might sound harsh but I mean it literally - he was still in the parent and bub" class splashing alongside six-month-olds. What's more, his stubborn resistance to the class was growing by the week.