Swim Lessons

It is interesting how different children from the same family can be.  Raising children is not like cooking – you can’t just reach for a certain ingredient and add it, you know?

If I could do such a thing, I think I would take a pinch of Bella’s confidence and pass it to Jacob (my Worrier), and I would take a dollop of Jacob’s love for rules and his sense of responsibility and pass it to Bella (Miss Reckless).

I guess where all this is coming from is because of swim lessons this week. Jacob is doing a fabulous job, he is so excited and happy and is really enjoying himself. My what a change from last year! He is my cautious child, he doesn’t mind bobbing underwater or picking up a ring, but does not want to swim with his face in the water. We’re working on that. 

Practicing kicking using a noodle:

   

Jacob has his lessons first; I spy on him from the kiddy pool but try to stay out of sight. I think he does better that way. Wednesday night I was spying on Jacob and playing with Bella when something crazy happened. Bella came down the slide and went under for a minute like she always does but then instead of bobbing up, she stayed under and SWAM TO ME. I saw her do it and couldn’t believe it! So she went down the slide again and this time when she came down I stepped back a step, and then another and then another and she swam, just held her breath and kicked her feet and swam to me – just like that!

So, by the time we got to Bella’s first swim lesson, she had already taught herself to swim! I am still taking her to her lessons, it is non-refundable and there are many skills she doesn’t have like gliding, floating on her back, etc. Of course I will still be watching her like a hawk – but it does make me feel a little teensy bit better to see that she can make it over to the side of the pool on her own.

Me looking cheesy & yes that is Abby Beasley back there practicing her super-man glide!

Thursday night Jacob had a great lesson but it was bittersweet afterward because he isn’t yet actually swimming.  He made some friends at the kiddy pool but then they all left to go to the diving boards and big pool and he couldn’t go and his face went all crumpled and sad. And then he sees his sister swimming and I just ached for him because I could see him trying so hard. It is a mental thing because he doesn’t want to put his head under (even with goggles) I know he will conquer that fear in his own time.