Swimming Lessons
You were so excited about swimming lessons. The key word here is "were".
On your first day, we got there, I answered your million questions about the locker room, showers and heated pool . You anxiously sat down right at the edge and watched the previous class finish up.
You couldn't wait for your class to start.
After you met your instructor, I planted a kiss on your little lips and took Ta-Ta up the elevator to watch from the 3rd floor. The bleachers provided a great view.
I could see you very clearly on your "dock" practicing your kicking while your instructor took your new friend out into the water.
Shortly after I took this picture, I had the biggest scare of my life. I'm assuming it was yours, as well.
My guess is that your instructor didn't warn you to stay on the dock. If she had, I'm quite sure you wouldn't have ventured to the edge.
Yes, right before my eyes, you slipped off the dock into the deep water. None of the instructors noticed. The lifeguard was still casually perched at her post. It wasn't until I hysterically started screaming, "Hey! Hey! She's drowning! HEY!" that one of the instructors realized you were going under for the fourth time. I remember some other moms shouting behind me and I wanted to dive off that railing and rescue you. I waited until I saw that you were safely in someone's arms before I frantically made my way back to the poolside. I distinctly remember saying, "Shit!" under my breath. I knew this would kill your spirit. My heart sank when I thought about how very excited you were to learn how to swim like Ariel, the mermaid.
Finally, the elevator opens and I push the stroller out into the hallway and open the heavy doors to the pool. I was amazed to see that you weren't crying and you still had your legs in the water. I walked up to talk to you and I almost busted out crying. Luckily, I didn't.
"Are you okay? That was scary, huh?"
She nodded.
"But you're not gonna let that stop you from learning how to swim, are you?"
I didn't give her time to answer.
"I'm so proud of you! You're okay. I'm going to stay down here and watch you from over there. Okay?"
She nodded.
I was so proud of her. I really was. She stuck with it.
That's not to say that the rest of the week wasn't pure hell. Each day progressively got worse.
By Thursday, which is the last lesson of the week, she refused to put her suit on. I had to wrangle her to the edge of the pool. It was so frustrating and saddening. I hate that she had to experience that. I shake my fists at the universe for killing her spirit. I'm hoping that this week will be better.
I tried to warm her up tonight, "Guess what Gubby? You have swimming lessons in the morning! Yay!"
Her response? "I don't ever want to go there again. I don't want to learn to swim until I'm 20 years old. I'm never never never going to swimming lessons again!!!"
Wish me luck tomorrow.
Oh, and any advice would be greatly appreciated. I've never had this issue with her. She's always been so excited to try and do anything.
Blah. This stinks.
8 Comments:
promise her very own pool when she gets back from the finish classes with a freshly blown up ariel floatie. a RESL pool. Nevermind me I took na ambien 24 minites ago. thank god for "home row" in keyboarding class. btw... ambien totally make an imac go in to 3d while taking it.
That is scary, so glad shes okay, sorry about not wanting to go to swimming lessons, Hopefully she will be excited again, try taking her to the pool house, you or tim a few times and swim with her, practice to dip hair, till she feels comfortable with it and then try getting her to dip the back of her head and so on, could help!
I took her a couple of times, just the two of us, to the local pool. She's fine in the shallow end, but puts the death grip on me if we venture to the deep end.
I'm going to keep on her until she's over it.
I nearly drowned when I was 4...slipped into a creek and was saved by some older children I was with - eventually. I remember going under 4 or 5 times and that dirty water swimming before my eyes - terrifying.
I think it's important to let her talk about it at length without trying to convince her that's everything's OK. Maybe she could do some drawings showing how she felt? Once she's got it out of her system you could try telling her the reasons it's vital she learns how to swim - because you can't avoid deep water and if you ever fell in it's important to be able to swim. You never want her to feel that helpless again. I would also tell her it's not optional to learn - plenty of praise, tell her she's brave etc, sure, but no option. She must learn how to swim.
After my Mum learnt about my near drowning I was taken to lessons and I was terrified. It took me about a year or more to get over it. This might be how it is for you but she will get over it. Talk to the swim teacher about it too - maybe some one on one time might help?
Jude gets candy after every lesson. I know, I know... bribery but man, on those tough days, it gets him there.
Oh, forgot to say, "Poor momma and poor little A". Terrifying, to say the least.
Oh, wow. That story made my knees go weak. I can't imagine how you felt...
My also fearless little guy loved the pool, then had a scare like that (though yours was worse), and just was really hesitant for a while. But he just naturally got into it again little by little. I think I over-discussed it with him for a while which didn't help.
I love the pictures on this post...
Oh - not sure what to say - but good luck for next week:) Keep persevering- swimming is so important....
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