Second Swimming Lesson
So we got all ready to go yesterday to the swimming lesson. I packed a nice lunch, got our towels and other items in a bag and left nice and early to get there with enough time to set up our chairs, etc. C didn't want to go and was complaining about it, but i kept my attitude positive and my voice upbeat. When we got there, it was obvious that the waves were MUCH lower and not so rough. She immediately got happy when i announced that. :) So we set up and classes started.
The first part of the class was just out of the water in a group - the instructor went over safety issues and used a poster with pictures. C hardly looked up from her feet and wanted me to hold her already. When that was over, the different levels split up and i realized that we were going to have the same instructor. :( I didn't mention it to C and i hadn't mentioned the possibility of having another instructor before we arrived - phew! The 3 other kids got in the water and i tried to get C excited and introduced her again to a little girl about her age. I thought maybe if they bonded, we would have a better chance of getting C in the water. NO LUCK! She wouldn't come off the beach! I walked into the water and we were all calling her in, but to no avail. She was starting to cry and refused to budge. So i went out and picked her up and brought her back in. She didn't argue because she didn't know i was going to put her in the water. When i put her down, she didn't even want to stand - ya know, the monkey legs.
She cried, whined, fussed and generally made a big, loud, embarrassing deal about it. She stood there for a bit, but absolutely refused to do the first step that the other kids were doing (jumping up and down and getting their shoulders under water). See, i have a problem even in the POOL getting her to agree to the shoulder thing. It was definitely going to be a no-go for the lake. See, this lake (Lake Champlain) is always always always wavey. Its not one of those calm lakes that is just still water, its more like a gentle ocean (on its nice days).
So i had no other choice than to take her out and wrap her in a towel. I was really embarrassed and wanted to just pack up and leave without eating out picnic lunch, but she actually didn't want to leave at all. So since i had already gone to the work of packing the lunch, i figured we'd just stay and watch the kids in her class while we ate. They continued getting more and more progressive in the lessons - with them jumping and then going UNDER water by the end. NO way for C doing that anytime soon. She won't even get her FACE in the bath!
I'm really blaming myself at this point, cause i should've gotten her used to water at like 6 months old - but we were living in PA where the only natural water is a RIVER that no one would swim in. Or paying high prices for pool membership (out of town). :(
So the conclusion to this is: No more swimming lessons this year. Pool classes are all full, or all done already - so that's out. Next year, we'll try to get her into a pool class. I know, i know, i have no idea where she and i will be by then, but that's my plan anyway...
The first part of the class was just out of the water in a group - the instructor went over safety issues and used a poster with pictures. C hardly looked up from her feet and wanted me to hold her already. When that was over, the different levels split up and i realized that we were going to have the same instructor. :( I didn't mention it to C and i hadn't mentioned the possibility of having another instructor before we arrived - phew! The 3 other kids got in the water and i tried to get C excited and introduced her again to a little girl about her age. I thought maybe if they bonded, we would have a better chance of getting C in the water. NO LUCK! She wouldn't come off the beach! I walked into the water and we were all calling her in, but to no avail. She was starting to cry and refused to budge. So i went out and picked her up and brought her back in. She didn't argue because she didn't know i was going to put her in the water. When i put her down, she didn't even want to stand - ya know, the monkey legs.
She cried, whined, fussed and generally made a big, loud, embarrassing deal about it. She stood there for a bit, but absolutely refused to do the first step that the other kids were doing (jumping up and down and getting their shoulders under water). See, i have a problem even in the POOL getting her to agree to the shoulder thing. It was definitely going to be a no-go for the lake. See, this lake (Lake Champlain) is always always always wavey. Its not one of those calm lakes that is just still water, its more like a gentle ocean (on its nice days).
So i had no other choice than to take her out and wrap her in a towel. I was really embarrassed and wanted to just pack up and leave without eating out picnic lunch, but she actually didn't want to leave at all. So since i had already gone to the work of packing the lunch, i figured we'd just stay and watch the kids in her class while we ate. They continued getting more and more progressive in the lessons - with them jumping and then going UNDER water by the end. NO way for C doing that anytime soon. She won't even get her FACE in the bath!
I'm really blaming myself at this point, cause i should've gotten her used to water at like 6 months old - but we were living in PA where the only natural water is a RIVER that no one would swim in. Or paying high prices for pool membership (out of town). :(
So the conclusion to this is: No more swimming lessons this year. Pool classes are all full, or all done already - so that's out. Next year, we'll try to get her into a pool class. I know, i know, i have no idea where she and i will be by then, but that's my plan anyway...