Swimming Lessons

Well we just finished day two of swim lessons.  They didn't go as I was hoping they were going to go.  I thought because Calleigh enjoyed swimming so much last year she was going to just ease into her new class and have no problems.  Think again.  We have been swimming in my parents pool the last couple of weeks and well it's a bit on the cooler side but she has been swimming minus putting her head under the water.  Which is totally expected.  Well, fast forward to yesterday and the first day of swim class.  Calleigh was excited to go swimming, I was preparing her to go swimming by herself, so I was really proud of her that she walked to her teacher and went right with her.  Well then they got into the water.  The teacher dunked Calleigh right into the water.  Well of course she freaked out.  Then she started crying and the teacher did it again and once more after that.  Needless to say she didn't want to swim with her teacher any more.  The lifeguard, came down off her post and sat next to Calleigh while she kicked her legs in the water.  She made it through the class with just sitting on the side of the pool kicking her legs.  I wanted her to talk to her teacher after class and tell her that she will try again tomorrow.  The teacher told Calleigh that she needed to stop crying, and if she continued to cry then she would keep putting her under the water.  Now, I was a little taken back from her comment to Calleigh so off I marched to the supervisor and expressed my concerns to her.  The supervisor reassured us, that was not the proper way to approach the situation.  I expressed my concerns that Calleigh is not that comfortable yet with putting her head under the water.  The supervisor told me that it is part of the the class and that she instructs her teachers to put their students heads under the water at least once per class.  I fully understand, that, but Calleigh is just not ready for that yet.  I want her to enjoy her class and not be afraid of her teacher or swimming.  So I asked if we could hold off until she was ready. The supervisor agreed, and we would tell Calleigh's teacher as well.  Calleigh was really upset after her swim class yesterday, and that is all she talked about for the rest of the day, how her teacher just kept putting her head under the water.  I reasured her that her teacher wouldn't do it to her again until she was ready.  So that was yesterday.....

Calleigh sitting on the edge

Today was much better, to my surprise she walked with her teacher again and sat down with the class.  She did the kicks, swam with her teacher, and even blew some bubbles today.  I was really proud that she put her self back into the class, and was doing the teacher was asking her to do.  Her teacher didn't put her under the water, and she was happy about that.  I did bribe her a little, I did tell her that if she did good swimming then we could go and get a Jumba Juice.  Well she did good swimming so we went for a Jumba Juice after swimming.


I didn't forgot about Aidan he is just less drama right now. Aidan is also doing swim lessons, in the parent and me class that Calleigh has done for the past two summers.  He is just so laid back its crazy, he just goes with the flow.  He is still a little young to really get the full affect of swimming lesson, but this way I don't have to sit out in the hot sun and just watch Calleigh swim, this way I can swim at the same time with Aidan.  And really, Aidan LOVES the water so why not...