I signed Haley up for swim lessons. I've been telling her about it for the past two weeks trying to get her pumped up for it, "You'll learn how to swim like a fish!". She actually was really looking forward to it! I had no trouble getting her ready, she was very willing to get her suit on and carry her towel...we made excellent time!So we walk into the pool area and she sees all the other kids and she just can't wait to get in...if I wasn't holding her hand I think she might have jumped right in! However, all that excitement came to an end when she realized that it wasn't at all what she thought it was going to be. As soon as the teacher started doing swimming type "drills" with them she completely freaked out!! The teacher would have them practice putting their heads under the water while she pulled them by the arms. And she worked on having them lay on their backs to get the idea of floating. Haley hated every bit of it, and I might add that she was the only child screaming...you would think she was being tortured.
Every time the teacher would work with a child the other kids were supposed to hold to the side and stay put. Haley either made a run for the stairs screaming the whole way or grab onto the teacher and not let go until it was her turn to practice something and the teacher literally had to pry Haley off her. These photos came out crummy (my camera was low on batteries so the flash wasn't working) but you can see Haley in the blue suit holding on for dear life while the teacher is working with another girl in the class.
The three other girls in the class would be grouped together waiting their turn just as happy as clams... Here's Haley just standing there screaming, "MOMMY, MOMMY!!!!".
Since we've been back every now and then she remembers her traumatic experience and starts crying, "Mommy, I don't ever want to go back to swimming lessons.". I've even started bribing her, "We'll go out for ice cream after!". Nope...doesn't work. She says, "Lets just go out for ice cream and skip the swimming!".
This class is everyday for the next two weeks: Put your votes in now! Do you think she'll get over her fear and learn to swim by the end or am I in for it?! The poll is at the top right corner.
5 comments:
Where do I check that she will learn to swim, And You're in for it?
I loved swimming as a kid, but I think part of that was because we didn't have air conditioning.
My niece had a miserable time learning to swim, she couldn't figure out that you weren't supposed to put your head back. Of course she is the child of the woman who when hiking thinks you hold your breath.
"But I think I'm hyperventilating"
"What? I don't think that is possible! I think it's the opposite and your body needs oxygen"
Oh boy. I've been trying to convince Brandon that he would love swim lessons, but I haven't convinced him so far. Now I'm really hesitant to sign him up! I would have thought that Haley would be all over swim lessons!
Haley has always been kind of an oddball (I mean that with much love) so chances are that Brandon would be fine.
Maybe I should change the poll, because quite frankly I also think I'll be in for it either way.
But then again maybe tomorrow she'll have a change of heart and decide she loves every bit of it!
My brother was pushed into the deep end when he was about 4 and was terrified of the water. We went to the pool almost every day, but he would just play with his toys. My mom, Haley's great-grandmother, was a big swimming enthusiast and wound up spending a summer walking in front of him while he learned to swim. He is great at it now.
Since Haley will be spending a lot of time at the ocean, I think you have no choice but to bite the bullet--and you will be in for it no matter what!!
I predict that by the end of the lessons--or next summer, she will love it!
Maddie was at DEFCON 5 as well when we first got her into swimming lessons around the same age. We found that just getting her in the water with us helped a lot (although trying to swim with a panicked kiddo nearly strangling you is a bit tough...). By the end of the summer she was doing much better. Don't rush it.
Now she is perfecting her crawl, swims underwater, and lives in the deep end of the pool (this summer she's finally tall enough to go down the grownup waterslide -- she is psyched!). She's a regular dolphin. Haley will get it, just hang in there.
And yes, you are in for it pretty much no matter what.
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