Swim Lessons
In January 2008, I was blessed with my Oldest Daughter. In June 2009, swim lessons with the local city were about to start. We were so excited to put Oldest Daughter in swim lessons! As she was barely a year and a half old, the only class she could go in was the Mommy and Me class. We decided that Handy Hubby would be the lucky one to take her to class. As a working dad, there just weren't that many opportunities to bond with the wee one, and we felt like this would be that perfect vehicle. At the time, we had a small baby pool in the backyard that Oldest Daughter just loved being in, so we knew this was going to be a slam dunk!
Nope, that was not the case. Handy Hubby took Oldest Daughter to class every day for two weeks, and for that effort he was rewarded with two weeks of terrified screaming. At first, we were under the mistaken notion that she would start to enjoy the classes once she grew accustomed to the routine. When day #10 was exactly like day #1, that was when we gave up for the summer.
Fast forward to the following summer. Oldest Daughter is now 29 months old, and we just knew this would be the summer she would start to enjoy swimming.
Nope, not this year. Nor was 2011 the year. Or 2012. Every year it was the same routine. We tried. She screamed - relentlessly. The summer would come to a close and Oldest Daughter still could not swim. But every year we tried again as we live in Arizona - land of the pools. We knew the importance of her having these skills. So, summer of 2013 saw us trying once again. And this time - it worked.
Several of my friends that are also mothers recommended a swim school that held swim lessons at the pools within our community. The recommending mothers had taken their children to this school for lessons and had had great success. I take recommendations from other mothers very seriously, but I was a bit apprehensive. Swim lessons offered by the city were one hour, five days a week. This school only conducted lessons for half an hour, once a week. Quite a difference, and I felt there was little chance this type of arrangement would be helpful with Oldest Daughter. But, as we had nothing to lose at this point, we signed her up.
The swim school was fantastic! The first lesson looked like every other swim lesson she had taken before - Oldest Daughter crying and trying to run away; Oldest Daughter being dragged to the pool and being tossed in to the instructor. The instructor was patient and calm, but insistent that she follow his instructions, even through all of the tears. And as mommy watching this, half an hour is a long time to sit there and watch your child self-destructing. The second class looked like the first class, but with a few less tears. The third class - wow - no tears! Oldest Daughter was still trying to run away, but the lack of crying meant that we were moving forward! By the fourth class, Oldest Daughter was jumping off of the pool step into the water and swimming to the instructor - unaided. And now Mommy was the one crying.
The rest of the summer went swimmingly (pardon the pun!). Oldest Daughter made great strides and even started enjoying herself. She complained less and less of a "squeeze-y" tummy before class and actually started counting down the days between lessons. Oldest Daughter became daring in the water, and might I add, just a bit brave.
Last night was Oldest Daughter's final swim class of the summer. Not only did she finally begin the process of learning to swim, she also gained self confidence, learned to enjoy being in the water, made her mommy the proudest mommy around, and she also tested and advanced out of her class and into the next bracket. Did I mention I was the proudest mommy around? JCMT
Nope, that was not the case. Handy Hubby took Oldest Daughter to class every day for two weeks, and for that effort he was rewarded with two weeks of terrified screaming. At first, we were under the mistaken notion that she would start to enjoy the classes once she grew accustomed to the routine. When day #10 was exactly like day #1, that was when we gave up for the summer.
Fast forward to the following summer. Oldest Daughter is now 29 months old, and we just knew this would be the summer she would start to enjoy swimming.
Nope, not this year. Nor was 2011 the year. Or 2012. Every year it was the same routine. We tried. She screamed - relentlessly. The summer would come to a close and Oldest Daughter still could not swim. But every year we tried again as we live in Arizona - land of the pools. We knew the importance of her having these skills. So, summer of 2013 saw us trying once again. And this time - it worked.
Several of my friends that are also mothers recommended a swim school that held swim lessons at the pools within our community. The recommending mothers had taken their children to this school for lessons and had had great success. I take recommendations from other mothers very seriously, but I was a bit apprehensive. Swim lessons offered by the city were one hour, five days a week. This school only conducted lessons for half an hour, once a week. Quite a difference, and I felt there was little chance this type of arrangement would be helpful with Oldest Daughter. But, as we had nothing to lose at this point, we signed her up.
The swim school was fantastic! The first lesson looked like every other swim lesson she had taken before - Oldest Daughter crying and trying to run away; Oldest Daughter being dragged to the pool and being tossed in to the instructor. The instructor was patient and calm, but insistent that she follow his instructions, even through all of the tears. And as mommy watching this, half an hour is a long time to sit there and watch your child self-destructing. The second class looked like the first class, but with a few less tears. The third class - wow - no tears! Oldest Daughter was still trying to run away, but the lack of crying meant that we were moving forward! By the fourth class, Oldest Daughter was jumping off of the pool step into the water and swimming to the instructor - unaided. And now Mommy was the one crying.
The rest of the summer went swimmingly (pardon the pun!). Oldest Daughter made great strides and even started enjoying herself. She complained less and less of a "squeeze-y" tummy before class and actually started counting down the days between lessons. Oldest Daughter became daring in the water, and might I add, just a bit brave.
Last night was Oldest Daughter's final swim class of the summer. Not only did she finally begin the process of learning to swim, she also gained self confidence, learned to enjoy being in the water, made her mommy the proudest mommy around, and she also tested and advanced out of her class and into the next bracket. Did I mention I was the proudest mommy around? JCMT
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