Swimming

Daring, my children are not.  That is okay, maybe I won't have a full head of gray hair before I am forty.  Howevah, it would be nice if they would start to really understand the joys of swimming.  Mia is starting to think that maybe following in her cautious brother's footsteps isn't always the best way to go.  A few weeks ago, I asked them both if they would like to take swim lessons.  I did this interrogation style - separately; so that they wouldn't influence each other.  Mia was all over it!  Of course she wanted to take a swim lesson.  Jac, not so much.

Jac did have swim lessons last year, private lessons at our pool.  Two of our neighbors came and took them with him.  We did this during Mia's naptime which worked out great, because she didn't get to see the tearing of hair and the gnashing of teeth.  Let's just say, fun was not had by all.  Jac was completely traumatized.  He learned nothing except a healthy fear of going under. 

Fast forward to this summer, he has gotten a little better.  He said 'no' to the group lessons I proposed, but is starting to come around now that he sees what Mia is learning and that she is having a lot of fun.  So in a few weeks, after school starts I am going to put him and Mia both in another lesson.  Cross your fingers that he likes it.

Mia is learning a lot.  She loves the lessons, except for one very energetic little boy who is constantly splashing her.  They speak to her in her own language and every 'lesson' is a game.  So far she has really been practicing kicks and strokes with either a kickboard or her teacher holding her up.  They also play a game where they find dive toys on the bottom of the pool.  She is by no means swimming yet, as most of the lesson is conducted in about two feet of water.   But she is building confidence and just learning how to be in the water.  It won't be long.

Here is her starfish pose that she does to float on her back and stomach.