Swimming

The boys have been very hard at work learning how to swim. This summer I saw this program being offered, and dismissed it as something we couldn't afford. Then we went to cape cod and there was one child there who i knew had learned to swim this way, and his mother was so at ease, and he was so comfortable in the water. When we got home, there was a group class for two year olds and so i enrolled Milo and went to the first class. It surprised me, he was like a barnacle, and deeply afraid of the water. (I was in the water with him) He had every arm leg hand knees holding onto me, and refused to face outward. he was scared beyond belief of the water, and yet there were two kids who were doing the lessons swimming through the water to their mom and to their instructor... I woke up in the night, wondering how this could work, with him clinging to me, and us meeting weekly for 30 minutes. It felt like a setup- for him and me to be frustrated and unsuccessful. AND on top of that was Rowan! He was just as afraid in deep water. So the grandparents (THANK YOU) gifted money, and we came up with the rest, and you would not believe how these kids have changed. There's a video of each of them, and here they are, hanging out floating in the water. five weeks later. the premise is survival first, so they learn to float, rest and then swim, rest, etc. so that they are safe waiting for help, even if they can't swim far enough to get to safety. Today Rowan was in the deep water with all his clothes on, one of the tests the teacher uses, because, if a kid is going to fall in the water, it's probably not going to be in a swim suit. Anyway. the lessons are four days a week for ten minutes, which logistically is really something... and for six weeks. It is hard work for the kids, and they can have a really hard time. Both boys have dealt with it differently, and that has been interesting, getting to know how they respond to new tasks and being challenged. Here's Milo:
As kids will, they are using play the rest of the day to process their lessons. Both have little babies that they are teaching to swim, and our kitchen floor has been transformed into a pool so that we have milo sprawled out resting in starfish, flipping over and "swimming" to the wall! it is so cool to watch. Their babies are great swimmers, and they have knowledgeable teachers. :) The bath has also become a lot... sloshier... with them trying to do all these tricks in such a small space! and here's Rowan:


So we're on our way to a different experience in the water. I am really glad these boys have gotten this chance to interact this way with the water, in such a safe environment. I think their teacher is awesome.
And Rowan and a boy he goes to preschool with have bonded and that is very cool too.