Swimming Lessons

We've been talking about putting the kids into swimming lessons since the day Crew was born and we found out that he was a hemophiliac. We want our boys to be swimmers! We realize, of course, that we can't decide for them what they will want to do and what they will be good at, but we want to do all we can to steer them in that direction.

Well, we haven't been doing a very good job. This is the first time we've put the kids into swimming lessons and Crew is 3. At least we did it, right? And I am so glad we did. They loved it and so did I!

I was very nervous about Crew. He had a little incident last summer where he lost his footing in about 2 1/2 feet of water and kept slipping under the water. He didn't have time to catch his breath, he just kept coming up out of the water as he tried to stand up with a horrified look on his face. I ended up running out into the water and picking him up. He choked out the water and was completely fine. I think I was more traumatised than he was, but he has always been very cautious in the water since that day. Always by the edge of the pool or in the shallow end.

We have been very lucky that our friend found a fabulous teacher. We are so happy with Braden. He brings a ton of knowledge and is so good with the kids. It is fun to watch my kids with him in the water.

The first day was fantastic! They both did so great! I was completely relieved. But then on day two it was a different story. Crew didn't want to get in the water and cried the whole time. He wouldn't go with his teacher so I took him out of the pool and told him that if he would finish his lesson I would get him a special treat. "An ice cream?!?" he asked. And how could I say no? So with the promise of ice cream he finished his lesson, doing all that his teacher asked him to do, and crying the whole time. That's my Crew.

With the promise of ice cream on the next day Crew didn't even cry. He was very happy to be participating and by the last day he didn't want to get out of the water. Just what I was hoping for! Thank you Teri for including us in these classes and thank you Braden for doing such a great job with our kids! Can't wait til the next session!