Both of our kids are scared of the water.
Scared they’ll drown, that the water will burn their eyes out and that they’ll barf if they swallow it...it goes on and on. And that's just in the bath, forget about a pool. They must have been on the Titanic in a former life. It is irrational to us but very real for them. So when it came to swimming I knew we had to move slowly.
I love to swim, my husband does something that looks a lot like swimming but I wouldn't trust him swimming away from shore, only along the shore. He nearly drowned in the wave pool at Disneyworld, in his 20’s. True story.
Sure I wish Jack and Clancy were more comfortable in water but, in my opinion, this is one of those situations in which the kid gets to decide how fast they are gonna go. We all know an adult who doesn't swim and most will tell you they have been terrified of water their entire lives and never learned how to swim. They usually tell the same kind of story: When they were little they were subjected to the “sink or swim” teaching technique and have vivid memories of thrashing around in fear while the people they trusted most stood poolside smiling (the nerve!) and saying "you can do it " - but no had bothered to tell to them was IT was.
My kids, aged 9 and 7, have spent the last two weeks in junior level swim lessons with 5 and 6 year olds but they don’t care and nor do I. The other kids were under water, blowing bubbles, floating and my two, standing feet on the bottom with half their bodies above water, will not graduate from this level - this time - but they don’t care and nor do I.
But they have gone from not wanting to getting in the pool to not wanting to get out. Yeah!
Kim, their patient and wonderful instructor, never forced them to do anything but always encouraged them to try. She applauded their true efforts and was honest with them when things needed improvement (like, walking along the bottom is NOT swimming). I was off to the side reading and paid little attention unless they asked me to watch this mom! Yesterday Clancy had a banner day - after the class we spent four hours in the pool and by the end of it she was going down the slide into 14 feet of water. (Albeit in a life jacket but now at least she is convinced they work, she was always sceptical.)
She said to me in car on the way home; “Mom, I feel awesome, that anything is possible and it’s because of all this swimming.”
“That's great kiddo! I am thrilled for you.”
“I'm going to try everything as hard as I can now and not worry anymore about standing out if I don't get it right away. I bet I could do anything.” I looked in the rearview mirror and noted with joy that this proclamation was delivered with and ear-to-ear grin.
The lessons were a steal at five bucks a day and I would have paid ten times that for this outcome. Once again it comes down the right teacher and we were very lucky to get Kim who truly understands how to teach little kids. Clancy and Jack felt safe and simply wanted to do their best for her.
We never know for sure where our kids will find their confidence - and nor do when know where they might lose it - but if we listen to them, really let them have a voice, we can help them fill their bucket and plug any leaks.
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