Raynor Shine: Swim Lessons

Our big activity for this week was Isaac’s swim lessons. He has been talking about swim lessons since the pool opened at the end of May. He seemed so excited, that was until he realized that someone other than his mother was going to teach him to swim. On day 1, he walked right to the edge of the pool, and I counting my chickens before they were hatched, thought “hot dog he’s just going to do it!”. Well, I celebrated too soon…he did go right over to class, but he then refused to do anything but be dragged back and forth across the pool by his poor swim teacher.

Day 2 – Well we talked it up…all the rewards he’d get for participating in class and he was set to go and very excited….until we walked through the pool house. Then he turned into a crying mess (and yes to all my critics, I am aware he is acting just like me!!!) I was frustrated to say the least, but thank goodness for the head life guard/angel from heaven. She dragged him into the pool screaming (Mommy was ready to throw him in) and MADE him swim. If he didn’t kick they didn’t move. And within 5 minutes he was laughing and was perfectly fine. He participated for the rest of the class and everything.

Day 3 and 4 – He did amazing. He did all the activities including diving to the bottom of the 5 foot section to get a toy.

I learned on Wednesday from one of the girls in his class that all the other kids in his class were 7 and 8. She was such a sweety to inform me that “the 4 year old class is over there in the shallow end”. (Oh and is your mommy here or can I dunk you smarty pants? My kid is swimming circles around you!)

And he got his BIG reward at the end of the last day. Isaac has been dying to go off the diving board and slide all summer. He has loved this part of the pool for the past 2 summers (yes, he jumped off his first diving board at 2 years old), but this pool has different rules than the others about having someone help you swim back to the side (the only part he can’t do). But on the last day, the life guards got in the pool and he got to try out the cool slide and the diving board. He was SO excited and SO disappointed when class ended. I really think he would have done this all day!