Swimming Lessons

Earlier in the summer, the kids took swimming lessons. I lost count of how many years it was for Ava and it was Reed’s second. Ava is officially done with lessons. She can swim and swims really well. Reed will need a few more years. BUT. We made progress this year!!

Last year, he CRIED AND CRIED AND CRIED the WHOLE week of lessons. And I don’t mean little crying. I mean SCREAMING. We tried talking to him to get him ready and he would say he didn’t want to go. The weekend before they started, we took him to the pool and tried to do a few of the things they would do there and he freaked out. FUH-REAKED out. I was hoping for the best, but expecting the worst.

We told him that even if he was scared and needed to cry, to PLEASE be nice to the teacher. And that included not telling him/her that he didn’t like them. Because he did that last year. We also told him that if he could go ALL week without crying, we would take him to his favorite pizza place to eat inside.

The first day came and went and it went surprisingly well! Reed kept saying “And I didn’t even have to go underwater!” Ha! Even though his hair was wet he truly believed he didn’t go under water. We just let him think that~!

Reed did great all week! He didn’t cry one time and even had fun! He had a smile on his face throughout the lessons and came home so happy and proud of himself each day!! He was intent on earning that trip to eat pizza!

The last day they traditionally make them jump off the diving board and go down the slide. The diving board is a little scary. Reed and the two little classmates of his didn’t jump. Ava did and did so great!

I was proud of her because I told her to make sure to tell the coach that she wanted to jump off on her own without him throwing her. I could see her try to tell him that!

Reed did have to go down the slide. He actually did it even though he wasn’t so crazy about it! This photo has both the kids waiting in line for their turn. Reed is on the third step and Ava is in the pink bathing suit!

He was pretty proud of himself after it was over, even though he wasn’t crazy about it! :) But at least he did it and he didn’t cry the whole week!

He earned his trip to eat pizza after the last day and he was happy as can be!

Now we just have to hope that maybe next year the swimming part sticks!