Swim Lessons

When Son1 was 13 months old he started the Parent-Tot swim class at the YMCA. He completed all of the skills with Mommy hovering over him. But this fall, he started swim classes alone at the brand new recreation center in our neighborhood. At the preschool level the lessons are all private. Son1 is really independent in the pool and the ocean already, but his skills are not strong enough. He has a lot of room to grow as a swimmer.


He doesn't always complete his skills in isolation during his lesson. He is so ready to swim and show all the pool bystanders he can do it, that he won't blow his bubbles. He is getting better at demonstrating his skills each time. He knows he can't pull one over on his teacher. Now if Hubs or I were teaching him to swim....ay ya yay! Hubs used to teach swim lessons in his college days but Son1 is a kid that does better with a young pretty teacher. That's motivation.

Now let me tell you...my Competitive Spirit shows up at the pool deck. They block an hour for a small group of preschoolers. Parents can show up any time within that hour for their private lesson. Well, I get there really early because I like Son1 to be first. I know, what a shock! There is this silent passive agression between the other preschool parents, because they show up ten minutes early for their child to be called for the private lesson, but ten minutes is not early enough. I calculated I need to be there no less than fifteen minutes early to be first. I get the whole "stink eye" (slang here for dirty look) from other parents as they walk through the pool gate. Yup, that's me, sitting cross legged in my pool chair, with a dripping wet Son1 is inching toward the edge. He is pre-showered, ready for his lesson. Let's just say most of my swim lesson friends don't have kids in our lesson group. They are scheduled at our time, but my kid isn't edging their kid out of a private lesson. But hey, I have learned from their screaming preschoolers. "WHY DO I HAVE TO WAIT? WHY CAN'T I BE NEXT???" No thank you!! Our lessons are twice a week, and only ten minutes each time. Then, the parent is supposed to practice the skills with their child. Guess who picked up blowing bubbles just by watching us?