Swim Class

Summer is right around the corner and we are busy with pool preparations at our house.  We are just a little bit excited about our first summer with a swimming pool. I think I am especially since I will be very pregnant in the hottest part of the year.  Last year, Hadley did not like the pool at all.  We might have been able to get about 5-10 minutes out of her, if we were lucky.  You definitely couldn't come near her with any sort of flotation device.  She wouldn't wear one or sit in any type of tube, ring, or float. She was much happier just walking around the outside of a pool in the unbearable heat than actually getting in the water. So I decided that some type of swim class would be helpful to get her acclimated to the water a little bit.  The YMCA here in Glasgow offers a great Mommy and Me class.  It has proven to be exactly what Hadley needed and I so enjoyed getting to spend this fun, quality time with her each week.  Just me and my girl.

Hadley is definitely not ready to be taught how to swim.  The teacher's main goal was for the kids to not be scared of the water, which was right on target for us!  As we sang "Row, Row, Row your Boat" the kids would use their hands to row their own "pretend" boat under the water. 

She loved popping up out of the water when we sang "Pop Goes the Weasel," and falling down when we sang, "Ring Around the Rosies."  I was careful to not let her go too far "down," though.  Didn't want to traumatize my girl.

She loved throwing miniature rubber duckies and then "swimming" to get it.  It was so cute to watch her kick as hard as she could and sometimes use her arms to try to get it.  She would mostly just kick and hold on to my arms, though.  She never did figure out not to throw the duckie too far because that meant you had to swim that much farther to get it.  Whew!!  Wore this mama out!!

She practiced swimming back and forth between the teacher and I.  She loved laying flat out on her back and floating, with my help of course.  We sang "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" and made it rain on each other's heads by dripping water, which Hadley thought was hilarious.

It truly amazed me to think of the difference a year made in her comfort level.  Sometimes I wish I could just RELAX about things in life.  I have had it in my head that she would be the only child in the world who is forever scared of the water, just based on last summer's experiences.  Take a chill pill, huh?  We are really looking forward to a fun-filled summer in the pool!