Swim Style

We put E back into swimming lesson's again after a much needed break. She'd been in preschool level 2 for over a year and really showed no interest in progressing. We're now back to it, and I take advantage of her 25 minute time slot and get in some splashing time myself, I am surprised each time I waddle into the water at how absolutely fabulous near weightlessness can feel

Her class is small and one of the little girls that's in her class comes each time with a swim cap, and E just has not stopped talking about it. She's wanted one now for weeks. So we stopped by a sporting goods store yesterday afternoon to see what they had, and immediately she grabbed the pink swirly silicone cap, and before I could even interject a syllable she was already perusing the kids goggles to find a matching pair...oh. "Well," I said, "if we're going to buy these for you today, I'm going to need to see the very best effort you can give at the rest of your lessons, can you promise me that?" "Oh yes, Mama, these will help me swim my best." Before we took the items up for checkout, I had her try them on and, well, as you can see it was hard to keep a strait face.


So we got the matching duo, and headed home. Right away she found her swim bag, placed all the things she'd need for her lesson the following day inside and set it on the stairs ready to go. "Well," I thought, "she's at least giving her best effort in getting ready for her lessons." Usually we're in a slight rush in the mornings gathering up towels, her Crocs for the shower, a comb, etc.

Well, this morning I decided to forgo my own swim time and just watch her lesson from the deck. As luck would have it, she was the only one from her class to show up, so she got a private lesson! Her instructor noted her new cap and goggles, and got down to work. The one thing that has really held E back in her lessons is her comfort level for floating on her back, she's afraid she'll sink and just cannot relax (she's been this way since infancy though, had always hated changing tables, so we'd have to change her on the floor). Today though, she practiced and practiced and by gum she's got it (she even threw in a little backstroke to the surprise of her teacher)! I was so happy to watch on the sidelines this morning and cheer her on. It was the perfect combination of events that came together for an amazing result.