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| In early July, the kids started taking their swimming lessons with Mrs. Wright. This year, we were only able to do one session since our Disney vacation interfered with the earlier session. The kids had been looking forward to it for a long time. The session was two weeks long (8 lessons) and we had booked an hour slot. We figured Morgan, who was hesitant, might only use 10-15 minutes and then we could just split the remaining time between Grant and Loren. The two weeks was LONG and I think we experienced every emotion during that time. Loren was the only one who really remained excited and eager to swim, and was happy to go each time. From the beginning, Morgan was scared and hesitant. She doesn't like to be away from me and probably would've done everything asked of her without tears, if I had been her teacher! hahaha!! She cried and cried until it was her turn. Then I just had to take her in the water and give her to Mrs. Wright. She still cried, but was relaxed in the water and managed to do pretty much everything Mrs. Wright asked her to do. Once she was done with her time, she happily played in the water on the step. She even got braver by the day and would go back and forth between the steps by hanging on the wall and walking along. Mrs. Wright also had her getting the rings and dive toys off the steps. Morgan wasn't allowed to get the toy unless she first put her mouth in the water and blew bubbles. Morgan did really well and I was proud of the progress she made in a short time. She was gaining confidence and wasn't as scared to go with Mrs. Wright. Way to Go, Morgan! |
Swim lessons for Grant were a whole different ball game. The first few days he was doing fine...putting his head under, diving for toys on the bottom of the pool, doing his "scoopers" and kicks, practicing his breathing with a kickboard, etc. And then...something happened. I don't really know specifically, but all of a sudden, he didn't want to go and he didn't want to do one particular thing that Mrs. Wright made him do. She has them do this exercise holding a kickboard. They kick with their arms on the kickboard, face in the water. She holds them up and guides them as they kick with their face in the water, lifting to breath when necessary. I don't know if he choked on water one time or what it was, but this one exercise would just put him over the edge. He was hysterical in the pool one day, crying for "mommy!" Soooooooo not like him. He was stubborn and would refuse to do it. One day, he didn't even get to dive for the toys (his favorite exercise), because he refused to do the breathing exercise. This fear/stubbornness went on for the whole last week of swimming lessons. Between Morgan and him crying, I was exhausted and couldn't wait for swimming lessons to be over. That being said, Grant did really well and made great progress. He was swimming the entire short distance of the swimming pool using great "scoopers" and kicks. He did great floating too! Just need to work on his confidence in breathing and timing.
I had no doubts that Loren would love every minute of her swimming lessons. This girl is a fish like her mother! My only problems with Loren is that she is overconfident in her swimming skills and shows NO FEAR (which scares Mom to death). She was doing so well though. She could swim the short distance of the pool and would even lift her head to breath and then go right back to swimming...pretty impressive. We just need to work with her on keeping her body level so she doesn't sink. She has a tendency to either keep her head up a little too high, or her bum up! Loren is doing amazing though and is a great little swimmer! Both kids had their first opportunity to jump in the pool of the diving board. They thought that was pretty fun!
Several days, we had some unseasonably cold weather. Mrs. Wright even came to swim lessons in her wetsuit. On these days, we chose to just do the kids one at a time and not have them in the pool unless it was their turn. Too cold!
Grant, sporting his bracelet he got at the dental office. Apparently, he thought it would make a nice ankle bracelet!!
I was so grateful that the kids made good progress in their swimming. Trips to the pool this summer have been much more frequent and much less stressful.
