Monday, July 19, 2010

Swim Lessons

I have always LoVeD to swim and being in/around water. LovEd it. My mom did, I do and Addison will. She is destine. Well she doesn't have to if she doesn't want to but I am pretty sure I will talk her into loving it :) But truly she really does enjoy going to the pool and swimming with her floaties on. I lifegaurded and taught swim lesson through high school and some of college, so have always pictured that I would some day teach my kids how to swim. Sure, nice thought. 4 year olds listen to their mom, I mean it is not like they are 17 yet right? Wrong. I can't tell you how many times I have taken her out to the pool and showed her, helped her, guided her just to do a simple back float. And nope. She won't do it. She freaks out with me. Well... swimming 101 is starting with floats. And we were going NO WHERE. She is plenty strong enough, and comfortable enough with water, she just doesn't listen to me. 

So I found some cheap swim lessons here at a community pool and signed her up. I had no idea if I was just throwing my money down the toilet or not. The first day, she was kinda shy and acted the same way she did with me. I started thinking, GOOD: It's not just that she doesn't want to listen and trust her mom. BAD: Maybe she'll never swim and hate water! 

The course was for two weeks so I decided to just be patient and see what happened. The money was already gone, she might as well enjoy the social time with other little kids (which she devoured). Well by day 3 she was doing back floats on her own!! GOOD: She has lots of promise in swimming and loves water!! WORSE: She doesn't listen to me. 

Oh well. I can say that I for one never ALWAYS listened to my mom. Didn't we all? I am not concerned but and happy that she had fun and learned to start swimming... Now she is not swimming yet, but has a very good foundation, I am hoping I can build up. We shall see. ;)


Here are a few pics from the last day of class as they played a few games.

1 comment:

Mom grandma said...

Don'T be so hard on yourself...you listened to me the 2nd or 3rd time around or sometimes as the volume increased or as I stood toe to toe. Sometimes the listening came after you seen the result.
Anyway the message is that your there trying and discussing... Your there... That is what parents give up on. Be there say it...don't shy away now!
It is being there that takes courage and vision.