Swim Lessons - Take 2

Swim lessons, swim lessons, swim lessons. Last spring after Luke turned 3 we enrolled him in swim lessons. Big mistake. Huge! My thought was, in the past he has LOVED swimming, loved the pool, loved water...he will love swim lessons. He did not. Since he was three, these lessons were on his own. Meaning, mom and Reid sat on the other side of the glass wall, while he sat at the pool with his teachers and 3 little friends. He was terrified. It was horrible. The teachers kept telling me it would get better. It did not. It really breaks my heart to think about how sad he was. He would sit there shaking so hard. What's even more sad is that before each lesson he really tried to psych himself up saying things like "I like swimming. And I like jumping in the water. I'm not sad." (Heart tearing here) But once he got in there it was a different story. He just shook and cried. Needless to say, we did not finish swim lessons. I couldn't bear it anymore.
Fast forward to this year, this summer, when's he a few months past four and we've found a different swim instructor.

Swim Buddies

Instead of a school, we opted for a teacher that taught out of her home. Plus we worked it out so that a certain best bud (P-man) was in the same class, and the classes were consecutive for two weeks instead of one lesson a week for 8 weeks.

5 Little Swimmers Sitting on a Step

Needless to say, these lessons went much, much better. I'm not sure what it was exactly, but I know the combination of being older, the pool being outside and less children around (hence less noise), had to been a huge contribution. He had a pretty good time and did get the basics down.

He swam all over the pool...he just needed his noodle and goggles.

He still does not like going under water, but he can tread water, although he's nervous about it.

He was so funny, when they would get to the diving board, he would ever so kindly keep telling his friends they could go in front of him. Miss Sherrie caught on pretty quickly though and insisted he take a turn. At least now when we go to the pool, as long as he has his floaties, he's able to swim all over the place. Last summer he basically sat on our heads if we took him into the water. He loves going to the pool and asks about it everyday. Sadly, I can't take him and Reid on my own...but we go as often as we can when another adult is in tow or able to watch Reid at home. I'm so thankful he's not scared to go to the pool anymore and hope that he grows up loving it as much as I did.

What a way to end a hard mornings work of swimming...popsicles and high fives!