Break the Ice with Swim Lessons

First night of swim lessons

My mother doesn't know how to swim.  I suppose this is what drove her to sign my sister and I up for swim lessons in the summer.  I was afraid of the water and didn't want to do it.  I would sit on the side of the pool with my back to the water in my silent, visible protest each week before being coaxed into the water.

As an adult, I'm not a great swimmer.  I have tried my hand at swimming laps, and I'm certain that the lifeguards earn their pay on these afternoons.  The lifeguards site patiently watching me dredge back and forth and waiting for me to fall into distress - nearly drowning. Okay.  So a little overly dramatic, but I'm not a good swimmer.  A baby pool is more about my speed to be honest, but that's another story.

Scene of the crime - first bath.  Can't
show that sad face and scene!

I would like for King Diaper to learn to love the water.  His daddy was a swimmer in high school and played water polo.  We are starting early to develop a love for the water.  It is amazing considering that he was 7 months old before his first bath.  And, he screamed like a maniac every night for quite some time before accepting his fate at bath time.  Now, bath time and any water experience is fun and enjoyed.  I would have never thought so considering that first bath.

This summer, we signed up our little man for swim lessons.  Our class was given at the local university for 30 minutes 4 days per week for 2 weeks.  8 total lessons.  For $45, it was well worth it.

1. King Diaper loved getting in the water and fearlessly bobbed around each day.
2. We learned about ways to work with our child in the water.  

He was not able to blow bubbles during this first class, and he resisted floating on his back.  But, I felt like this was a good start to learning how to swim.  

I feel certain that next summer we will do another session of lessons.  In addition to the lessons, we signed up fora summer membership to the gym for the pool.  

We are really concerned about instilling the importance of being active in our little one.  We also want him to see us being active and involved with him.  I don't want to be a passive parent that is always on the sidelines.  Being on the side has its place, but being active is a good thing.

These kinds of activities give us a chance to do something fun and gets us out of the house.  Hopefully, when the little one is big enough, he will pick some type of sport or activity that is fun.  It doesn't have to be swimming.  But, at least we are breaking the ice and giving him a good start to discovering new things to do and facing them head on instead of having his back to the water!