Swim Lessons

Harper and Dakota went to their first ever swim lesson this morning. We just went and signed them up last week and I’ve been talking to them about it since. Both of my kids seem to feel better about doing something new if I talk to them about it well in advance.

Neither of them are afraid of the water, but Dakota is very hesitant around strangers, so that was my big worry. We ended up getting to the pool much earlier than we needed to, but I wasn’t sure what traffic would be like since we don’t ever go that way. The kids had ample time to explore the building and play around a bit before the teacher called them into the pool area.

I walked them into the pool area where quick introductions were made (I explained to the teacher that Dakota was very worried about going in the pool with a stranger) and the teacher, very nicely, picked Harper and Dakota up and took them on a spin through the pool. While Harper enjoyed the ride through the pool, poor Dakota cried and cried. I hated watching her be so upset, but I knew it was in her best interest to just deal with it. I was watching the entire time through a one way glass window.

It was about 5 minutes into the lesson that Dakota stopped crying, but every time the teacher would ask her if she could try or do something, Dakota would refuse. Harper, on the other hand was loving every minute in that pool. He was showing off, putting his head under the water, blowing bubbles and kicking his little feet just as he was asked. I couldn’t have been more proud of that big boy.

After another 5 minutes or so, Dakota was over my absence and she was enjoying herself. I sighed a huge sigh of relief when I saw her smile and squirt her brother with a little rubber duck. She did fine from that point on. They blew bubbles, raced boats across the pool, let the teacher float them on their backs, played with pool noodles and squirted each other with the little rubber ducks. I was thrilled to see the two of them in there doing so well, and I now have high hopes for these (necessary) swim lessons.

Here’s a little video:

As the two of them came out of the pool I was right at the door to greet them. They were both very happy and I gave them some high fives and hugs and we went to the dressing room to get ready to go. I told them how wonderful they’d been and Harper immediately asked if we could come back. Yay! Dakota told me the teacher sang her Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star and then she sang it as loud as she could as we walked out. The receptionist laughed and said it looked like she’d had a good time after all.

So, swim lessons went well, and not only did we survive it, we liked it!