About a month ago, I signed Arthur up for swim lessons with his pal Jade. I wanted him to have something special that he could be proud of doing, since everyone (or a great many people) would be fawning over Balin. I also wanted him to learn some of the basics of swimming.
Tuesday he went to his first class and had the worst separation anxiety I've ever seen. It didn't help that he was in the water with a bunch of kids and a teacher he didn't know. I had a word with the teacher afterward and we agreed that he and I should come back for Family Swim Wednesday and then try again on Thursday. Arthur needed to know that his teacher and I wouldn't be giving up on him.
Family Swim Wednesday went so well. We put on one of the floats and practiced doing some of the activities that I saw his teacher do Tuesday. I hoped that with enough encouragement from me that he'd be more confident in the water on Thursday.
So, today during swim class I stayed downstairs in the lobby. To anyone looking in on the class, I was probably an amusing sight, peeking through the door to the pool, hoping for glimpses of my kid (happily, I hoped) in the water. He did really, really well. He listened to his teacher and he tried to do everything she instructed. He even swam unassisted (though with floats). I was so proud of him that we went to ice cream with Balin and Nana afterward and heaped on the praise.
We'll probably try to go swimming again this weekend to keep practicing. He doesn't have to become an Olympic swimmer someday, but I do want him to be comfortable in the water.
Blessed be.
Tuesday he went to his first class and had the worst separation anxiety I've ever seen. It didn't help that he was in the water with a bunch of kids and a teacher he didn't know. I had a word with the teacher afterward and we agreed that he and I should come back for Family Swim Wednesday and then try again on Thursday. Arthur needed to know that his teacher and I wouldn't be giving up on him.
Family Swim Wednesday went so well. We put on one of the floats and practiced doing some of the activities that I saw his teacher do Tuesday. I hoped that with enough encouragement from me that he'd be more confident in the water on Thursday.
So, today during swim class I stayed downstairs in the lobby. To anyone looking in on the class, I was probably an amusing sight, peeking through the door to the pool, hoping for glimpses of my kid (happily, I hoped) in the water. He did really, really well. He listened to his teacher and he tried to do everything she instructed. He even swam unassisted (though with floats). I was so proud of him that we went to ice cream with Balin and Nana afterward and heaped on the praise.
We'll probably try to go swimming again this weekend to keep practicing. He doesn't have to become an Olympic swimmer someday, but I do want him to be comfortable in the water.
Blessed be.
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