swimming lessons

the officer and i decided to put our kids in swimming lessons. although they still thoroughly enjoy the kiddie pool (or kitty-kat pool if you talk to my daughter), it was time to prepare for the progression to the "big" pool. let me give you a little background. previously when we have gone swimming, my son has been content to play in the kiddie pool. my daughter likes the kiddie pool but also likes for her daddy to take her to the big pool. when the officer would take my son to the big pool he did like it, but was more nervous about being in there.

once, my daughter came home from grandma's and exclaimed, "i held my nose and put my head under water!" my son did not want to be left behind, so he practiced in the bathtub. he knew his cousins used goggles, so he used what he had. unfortunately they were goggles from little tykes tool bench. water got into the goggles while he was underwater.




i signed the kids up for their lessons. they are going twice a week for 4 weeks at a local inside pool. the person who helped us told me the only thing they would need is goggles. i had to go to a couple of different store with the kids to find little goggles. wal-mart had some but it made the kid's eyes bug out and we couldn't have that. too freaky for me to look at. target had some but they were $12. we found some at academy that adjusted between the nose and around the head for $5. perfect. i got the kids their new bathing suits - don't even get me started on the bathing suits that are out there for little girls!!!!! we found a cute modest one at target for only $12.99. it's shorts and a surfer shirt.


we informed the kids they would taking swimming lessons a couple of days before they would start. the day of the first lesson, my son informed me ALL day that he was very nervous. he asked me, "are they going to make me swim underwater? i don't think i can swim underwater! are they going to make me put my head underwater? i think i can do it if i goggles, i don't know - we'll have to see."

the officer came home early from work to go to the swimming lessons with us. we got to the pool 30 minutes early. this was almost too much for my son to handle. as my daughter stood at the window watching the other kids play around in the water, my son walked about the room asking what time it was every 2 minutes - literally! he kept messing with his goggles and making sure they were tight.














finally the teachers came in and took the kids into the pool. there were 5 kids in the beginners 1 class, my kids included. of course the teacher said, "you don't need the goggles for the beginners 1 class." she got them into the pool sitting on the steps. i was a little worried because there were 2 other classes with about 6 students each going on in the pool at the same time. however, it didn't seem to distract any of the kids. the kids did simple things like holding the teacher's hands while kicking. the teacher pulled them out a little ways from the steps. they also kicked with a noodle and a boogie board. my son had a huge smile on his face the entire time he was doing all of it. he loved it. you could still tell he was nervous because he was very rigid. my daughter just giggled and kicked the whole time.


at the end of the lesson the kids got to line up on the side of pool to jump in to the water and into the waiting arms of the instructor. my kids lined up. i am pretty sure my daughter cut in line to jump in quicker. i know my son let two people cut in front of him to delay his jumping in. the kids got to jump in twice. on my daughter's second time, the instructor said, "okay the lesson is over go over to your mommy." my daughter got out of the pool and got back in line - she was having too much fun. the instructor let her jump one last time. i have had a talk with her about proper line etiquette - again.

all in all they had a good time. they are looking forward to going back later this week.