Swimming Lessons

Well, two days of lessons are in the books. What have we learned? We've learned that when it's past nap time, a half hour can seem like forever.

Let's start with that then we will move on to the actual lessons. I hope there isn't anyone who will take offense to this next statement. Having swimming lessons for 2-3 year olds at 12:30 in the afternoon is absolutely retarded. Yesterday all of the kids did pretty well, today ten minutes in and every one of them had at least one melt down. Our precious Jacob included.

Now, on to the lessons. The first day we worked on getting out of the pool (elbow, elbow, knee, knee). We did that 4 times. He still needs help with it, but he has fun. Even when he plants his face against the floor for stability. Then we worked on trying to blow bubbles. All I can get out of him is motorcycle sounds, and he won't do it into the water. So, no dice with bubbles. Next we worked on kicking. Jacob doesn't really want to kick, he just keeps squatting his little butt down and he looks like he is riding a bicycle under the water. Cute, but not what we are trying for. Then we grabbed onto a noodle and worked on kicking around the pool (yeah right). Daddy did most the work. That's right about the time that the evidence of a lack of a nap started to show the first day. Then the fun started. The girls running the show turned on the fountains and the water to the slide and all the kids got to go down the slide. They all had fun with that. Then it was time to go.

Day two started out very similar. As soon as we got there they said to go ahead and start practicing getting out of the pool. Then we worked on swimming to daddy (little bicycle). Then the not listening because I'm tired and want a nap started in. Yep, five minutes in and all the kids are starting to get grumpy or just not listen. At this time all Jacob wanted to do was splash. That wasn't on the agenda today. Then we tried to swim around holding the noodle again, that went over worse than day one. Then the girls grabbed a box of pool toys and matchbox cars and threw them into the pool. The idea was to get the kids to start picking up the items in the shallowest part of the pool (the pool has an area where you just walk right in, no ledge or anything). Then you proceed to throw the items a little deeper. The idea is to get them to get to the point that they are sticking their heads under water to get them. J did well, but he would not put is head under water. So the match box car just stayed there. As tired as he was, he did not want to leave today. I told him that we would be back tomorrow and I got a shaky "Okay".

He gets to take an uninterrupted nap today, so hopefully he will be better tonight and tomorrow. All in all, I am having a great time with Jacob in his swim lessons.

I guess we'll just see what tomorrow brings.