Swimming Lessons

Hunter is my timid child. I never had to put a gate up on the stairs when he was a baby because he was too afraid to go anywhere near them. He would get on the trampoline until this summer and he still won't go down the slide. When we lived in California, we went swimming everyday and it took him two weeks to even touch the water, let alone go in.

Now that he is a big kindergartener, I thought the time was ripe for him to take swim lessons. He was a full head taller than the other 3 year olds in the class. It was kind of funny. One of the other kids called him "Mr. Hunter" because he was so old.

Age notwithstanding, I spent the first month of lessons (twice a week) dragging him to the pool screaming at the top of his lungs. I felt like such a rotten mom dropping into the water into his teacher's arms. He tried every kind of coercion possible to get out of it. He tried threats, bargains, the whole nine yards. Luckily his first teacher was so patient with him. He told me Nancy was the nicest teacher in the world.

The second month (session) of swim began and I got him into a class with all his buddies from preschool. He had a different teacher, but he ended up really enjoying lessons. He is quite proud of himself now. He tells everyone "I take swimming lessons." Unfortunately we have to quit for a few weeks. I hope we are not back to the screaming when we resume in January.