My daughter is a fish, and other growing-up things
Two summers ago, my daughter taught herself a pretty decent approximation of a front crawl but minus the coming-up-for-air part.
This year, she spontaneously managed to master a (still needs technique) back crawl that DOES keep her head up. With cheering, she kept going a full 5 yards in the pool, and, if she hadn't hit the wall, could have kept going. She can also now doggy paddle and tread water (both as high-energy-expenditure things since she's so lean). She's ALSO halfway to having a decent side stroke.
We MUST GET THIS KID IN LESSONS. Must.
Ben, meanwhile, still clings to me or the edge, but he CAN do a flutter kick while holding onto me or the wall. His KICK is good, but he can't put the rest of his body relaxed and straight in the water.
I'm SO glad I went, though.
Elf was going with M & E and their mom, and Ben asked to go, so I decided I needed to be there in case Ben couldn't handle the water. He liked holding me, and had even more fun scooting along the edge of the gutter back and forth around the shallow end. We were only there for 15 minutes or so, but it was really nice. Short walk to the end of the park and the pool is in the high school. Also, the weather here is OMG-GORGEOUS today--70s, overcast, breezy. We've opened up the house because it is BEYOND pleasant.
Ben continues to be a sweetie--and SO proud to be seven and Now That He's SEVEN, he can go to the BASEMENT and cross the street and go out with daddy for some activities...it's very sweet to see how excited he is. Elf, in 13 days, will get to jettison the booster seat and sit on the softer regular seat. Perhaps there will be less candy and crap on the seat when it's not hidden by the booster... :-)
This year, she spontaneously managed to master a (still needs technique) back crawl that DOES keep her head up. With cheering, she kept going a full 5 yards in the pool, and, if she hadn't hit the wall, could have kept going. She can also now doggy paddle and tread water (both as high-energy-expenditure things since she's so lean). She's ALSO halfway to having a decent side stroke.
We MUST GET THIS KID IN LESSONS. Must.
Ben, meanwhile, still clings to me or the edge, but he CAN do a flutter kick while holding onto me or the wall. His KICK is good, but he can't put the rest of his body relaxed and straight in the water.
I'm SO glad I went, though.
Elf was going with M & E and their mom, and Ben asked to go, so I decided I needed to be there in case Ben couldn't handle the water. He liked holding me, and had even more fun scooting along the edge of the gutter back and forth around the shallow end. We were only there for 15 minutes or so, but it was really nice. Short walk to the end of the park and the pool is in the high school. Also, the weather here is OMG-GORGEOUS today--70s, overcast, breezy. We've opened up the house because it is BEYOND pleasant.
Ben continues to be a sweetie--and SO proud to be seven and Now That He's SEVEN, he can go to the BASEMENT and cross the street and go out with daddy for some activities...it's very sweet to see how excited he is. Elf, in 13 days, will get to jettison the booster seat and sit on the softer regular seat. Perhaps there will be less candy and crap on the seat when it's not hidden by the booster... :-)