Swimming Lessons - round #1

The last few years we have tried to squeeze swimming lessons in during the summer.  I love seeing how much the kids improve going daily for two weeks and I LOVE that you don't have to stuff winter coats and boots in the lockers and can just drive there in your swim suits!  Last summer AL did lessons right before the baby was born but JA couldn't be convinced to join in.  His sensory issues with the echoing sounds, crowds, water in the face, etc were pretty high at that time.  Despite good intentions my kids haven't been in lessons all year which isn't like us but life just got in the way.
I knew JA still struggled with his sensory issues and needed some extra time to adjust.  A month or so ago I signed him up for a few private lessons.  They did the trick and he was so comfortable and excited because of them.

The kids were beyond excited for lessons the past two weeks.  JA loved loved loved his first class but you can imagine my surprise when Miss.Confident asked to go to the bathroom in tears part way through her first class and begged me not to make her go back to class after.  The poor girl.  The pool she has typically been at is a gradual entry pool and the class is in water up to their wastes.  The first day of this class the kids were in a pool with water to the top of her head.  She had a horrible experience trying to swim (swallowing water, convinced she would drown, etc) and she clung to the pool side in complete fear.  I talked to the teacher to confirm I had her in the right level (since our town and my parents town have a different swim program).  I sent her back to class and it broke my heart to watch her.  The next day the teacher put them in an area they could touch the bottom but AL was so afraid she never  even tried and I am convinced would have drowned in water she could touch if the chance came along her fear was so strong.  The third day a girl in the class made AL smile, laugh and convinced her that she could indeed touch the bottom of the pool.

 From then on AL LOVED class.  Phew.  She even passed her level tonight.

JA made huge progress blowing bubbles, floating and kicking.  He blew me away with how much he learned and how well he conqured his sensory set backs.

We signed up again (at a pool closer to our new home) for the end of August to keep the ball rolling until we take a bit of a winter break.

Love those proud Momma moments, they sure help over shadow the torture I felt the past two weeks at the pool while trying to keep WR strapped in a stroller and out of the pool ;)