Swimming Lessons - Day 2

Austin decided last night and reiterated this morning that he wasn't going swimming today. He was matter of fact about it. No fit. No crying. He told me this morning that he was going to stay home. When it was time to load the car, he happily went along, but "I not swimmin' Mommy."

I thought he might show some anxiety when we arrived, but he had a distraction. As we pulled in the parking lot a train was going by and all 4 were fascinated. The train tracks run just behind the swimming facility. We made our own little train as we walked to the facility. Everyone held hands. Carol had two and I had two and they all walked in together. It's really a good place to practice walking together as there's not much traffic in the lot.

No one showed any anxiety until they were put into the pool. Here's the rundown for today:

Tyler was the quietest. I think he was totally overwhelmed. As the lesson finishes, the instructor hands each one out of the pool to me onto a changing table. Tyler rolled over on his stomach and looked like he had just finished the swimming portion of a triathlon. He crashed in the car on the way home.

Lauren did her little girl scream the whole time and pulled at her ears some (we're probably heading for the doc by Friday to check them). I can't tell if she was scared or hurting (ears). She also crashed in the car on the way home.

John did the best again in terms of skill set. He already knows to close his mouth under water. I can't tell if he was scared, upset, or mad about the whole thing, though. Austin went first today and was dressed and cheering John on. He'd clap and say "good job John". That set off a chain reaction of clapping toddlers. All of mine were clapping and a couple of the other kids that were waiting were clapping. Even John clapped every time he made it to the wall. It was a sight. He clapped and said "yeah" while at the same time crying and trying to suck his thumb.

Austin had to be forced in, cried and whined the whole time, but then talked about coming back tomorrow. The look on his face is hard to take. Being 3 he knows to be afraid of the water. The trips are afraid, but in a different way.

The good news is I can already see their natural instincts kicking in. They head for the side and are able to pull themselves up at the steps. This is especially true for the babies because of their age. And they are all working hard.

I'm hoping to take my camera on Thursday. It's near impossible to do much more than hand kids to the instructor and then take them out and dry them off. Daddy is going to try to go on Thursday, so we'll have an extra pair of hands. I want to have pictures of the changes in their facial expressions from beginning to end of the lessons.