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Swimming Lessons

Monday, July 12th, 2010

Today we started swimming lessons.

It is a family affair - I made sure to book them in the mornings of the week that Jon does not work until 2:00 pm so that he could come along to help out with all the dressing and coaxing that comes along with having four children in swimming lessons.

Daniel and Josh are in a non-parented class that they are repeating from the last time they took swimming lessons (in April, with school). They did well today, and almost every time I looked, they seemed to be paying attention to the teacher and doing what they were supposed to, not fighting like they usually do. Big thumbs up from me!

After the first lesson ended, Daniel asked me why he was in a class where he has to do all the stuff he already knows how to do. I explained that it is because last time he took this class the teacher recommended that he do it again. I hope that having to repeat it will really make him apply himself and do what he needs to to move to the next level.

Josh seemed to do well, though he was very excited to see Andrew in the water near him, which was a distraction. There were many times that I had to signal him to watch his teacher. I asked him about it afterward and he insisted that he was encouraging Andrew. I gently reminded him that he has to pay attention to his teacher, and practice on his own when she is busy with the other kids. Secretly, though, I’m proud of him. I am pretty sure that it did help Andrew to know his brothers were there in the pool too.

Andrew is in his first non-parented class ever, because he is too old for the parented classes. The start of the class went much like the start of most preschool classes, except the water I got on my shirt wasn’t just from Andrew’s tears, it also came from some serious “green light” kicking that my child refused to participate in. After that first exercise on the side of the pool, I left to sit farther back on the pool deck and the teacher carried Andrew to the middle of the pool; the other 3 classmates trailing behind. He did quite well, and although he wasn’t really “in” to doing what the teacher asked of him, I did witness Andrew blowing bubbles in the water and trying to swim on his front (hard for a 4 year old in a pfd in a shallow pool, no?), kicking his legs. He did have a bit of a fearful moment when the pfd kept flipping him onto his back, but the teacher was able to calm his tears and get him to try again. He said he had fun, and didn’t cry when I said we’re going back tomorrow, so I’m hoping this is a good sign. I may be forced to put him into another week of swimming lessons when this one ends, just to give him something regular, daily, and away from me to do. I really want him to build that self confidence!

Claire is also taking lessons this week. I *think* this is her first class, but it might be her second. I swear, with each kid my memory gets worse and worse. She did FANTASTICALLY. Jon was the elected parent to be in the water with her due to a number of factors, the least of which being that I detest swimming. I hate being in the water so much that I don’t even take baths. But I want my kids to love it, and I want them to be strong and confident swimmers, so in they go!

As I was saying…Claire did very well. Jon said she was pretty much the only one in her class who was into swimming and glad to be there. She “jumped” (with help of course) off the side of the pool into the water, bent over under water to pick up rings, and played duck duck goose (or, duck duck duck if you ask the swimming teacher ).

Jon seemed to have a good morning, too, despite his little accident that had blood pouring out of his head. Just a note of advice for anyone heading to a pool…before you stand up from being on the change room floor, make sure that the top row of lockers are shut. If not, you will be pierced by the lovely metal that they are composed of.

So, swimming lessons 2010 - the first day was a good one! Here’s to four more even better!

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