Back in June, I paid ridiculous amounts of money for the kids to take swimming lessons, but they ended up being somewhat "fake"--mostly due to their ages, I suspect. Taylor was fine in the water as long as I was holding him, but every single time, about 20 minutes into the lesson, he'd look up to me and say, "I done." Aidan learned things like pool rules, trying out a life jacket, and blowing bubbles. Hmmm...
When we began swimming on our own afterwards, Taylor was too scared to get in. He'd sit on the top step of the pool the entire time. Aidan wasn't like that, but she was still quite timid.
Last week, we visited Missouri and both sides of grandparents. We went to a mini-waterpark on Thursday with my mom and dad, and I think maybe that was the turning point. Taylor was visibly nervous when we first got there, probably because there were so many bigger kids running around and splashing. By the end of the afternoon, he didn't want to leave. On Sunday, they went down to the Quail Creek pool, and by the time I got there a bit late, Taylor was jumping off the side (with Grandpa's help catching him, of course). He would crouch down and say, "ready, set, GO!" I was shocked. And glad that we'd apparently left behind the scared of water child.
Today, Terry and I took the kids to our apartment pool along with a "picnic," as Aidan likes to call PB &J outside. Both of the kids just did great. Aidan is nearly swimming by herself, and Taylor went under almost every time he jumped in. I'm not saying he loved that, but he kept on jumping!
I cannot remember ever being frightened of water. I'm sure I was when I was very small, but I think we must have gone swimming frequently. I remember being at Lytle Pool with my family and having a lifeguard ask me to swim across the pool as a test to see if I could really be in the deep end. That particular pool is rather large, and I'd never had swim lessons, so I doggie paddled across the pool. This is not the quickest way to swim, and I can remember being frustrated and embarrassed that it was taking me so long, but I made it. After the official "OK" that day, I never looked back. I spent as many days as I could at the pool as a kid.
I love the water, and I want my kids to feel that way, too. I know it takes time, but I'm anxious for those days to be here.
When we began swimming on our own afterwards, Taylor was too scared to get in. He'd sit on the top step of the pool the entire time. Aidan wasn't like that, but she was still quite timid.
Last week, we visited Missouri and both sides of grandparents. We went to a mini-waterpark on Thursday with my mom and dad, and I think maybe that was the turning point. Taylor was visibly nervous when we first got there, probably because there were so many bigger kids running around and splashing. By the end of the afternoon, he didn't want to leave. On Sunday, they went down to the Quail Creek pool, and by the time I got there a bit late, Taylor was jumping off the side (with Grandpa's help catching him, of course). He would crouch down and say, "ready, set, GO!" I was shocked. And glad that we'd apparently left behind the scared of water child.
Today, Terry and I took the kids to our apartment pool along with a "picnic," as Aidan likes to call PB &J outside. Both of the kids just did great. Aidan is nearly swimming by herself, and Taylor went under almost every time he jumped in. I'm not saying he loved that, but he kept on jumping!
I cannot remember ever being frightened of water. I'm sure I was when I was very small, but I think we must have gone swimming frequently. I remember being at Lytle Pool with my family and having a lifeguard ask me to swim across the pool as a test to see if I could really be in the deep end. That particular pool is rather large, and I'd never had swim lessons, so I doggie paddled across the pool. This is not the quickest way to swim, and I can remember being frustrated and embarrassed that it was taking me so long, but I made it. After the official "OK" that day, I never looked back. I spent as many days as I could at the pool as a kid.
I love the water, and I want my kids to feel that way, too. I know it takes time, but I'm anxious for those days to be here.
1 comment:
Hey I can tell you after 6 years of giving swim lessons, some kids are easier to teach than others. The main thing is let them take their time because if you push them and they get scared, it will take much longer for them to want to get back in the water. I am excited to see you have a blog so I can keep up with your life. Sorry we missed you when you were in this time.
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