Zach has always been very leery of the water. It was a combination of several problems. One, we are rarely around pools. Two, I don't like to swim, and really can't swim well at all. (Which explains number one.) Three, he fell into a pool last summer and had to be fished out by his daddy. Needless to say, we had done two years of swimming lessons with little success. But I was determined that this would be his summer to swim. We have a friend who teaches private lessons and I knew she would know exactly how to work with him.
On the first day, he was still trying to hang out by the steps and was pleading with her to keep in the shallow end. By day three, he was more comfortable with swimming, so we went and got him his own swim goggles. All of a sudden, he determined that he was a swimmer! Yesterday he was swimming quite well by the end of his lesson. Last night I filled up the bathtub and let him practice going under for objects and he was having so much fun I could barely talk him into getting out!
We are so proud of him for facing his fears (and yes, I realize I need to work on my swimming as well). Now he is saying that he wants to have a swimming party for his birthday. What a turnaround! We are planning to do one more week of lessons to get him even more comfortable in the pool and I am going to make an effort to keep him around pools throughout the summer. (This is definitely made easier by me being at home now and not working or moving, which is how my previous summers were spent!)
It is so fun to watch a child tackle a difficult task and accomplish it!
1 comment:
That is great! Yea Zach! I had a fear as a child too until I got just the right teacher. I had a previous bad experience but have loved it ever since! Trent is doing lessons with Ty this summer at Lakeridge- they make you get in the water with them there until they are four. Trent volunteered for it!
Post a Comment