SWIMMING!!

 

Up until this summer, we've been sporadic at best in trying to teach our kids how to swim.  They have had classes here and there, my mom's pool in Florida, but overall they have not had consistent swim time.  I think I took it for granted that I had a pool growing up.  We swam all summer and I don't remember a time when I couldn't swim.  I have always loved the water and just assumed my kids would be fish too.  Not so true!  Carter has had some fear toward the water and while Mia doesn't seem fearful of anything, she didn't seem to care either way about the water.  I finally decided we had to fix it.

We enrolled the kids in a new swim club near our house, Goldfish Swim School.  It's awesome!  They actually teach kids how to swim!  None of those silly games, singing, parents get in the water (which makes is ten times worse for kids to concentrate and actually learn) stuff.  The classes are small, 4 kids at the most, parents watch from behind glass, the pool temp is a cozy 90 degrees, they have fun floaties and toys, the decor is adorable, and the instructors really know how to teach kids.  My favorite part is that you can keep your kids in the class for as long at you want, there is no start or end to the classes. 

They told us from the start that it would probably take around 6 weeks to get them swimming.  Dave and I had doubts but signed them up without hesitation.

They started them each in a "beginner" class (separate, but held at the same time).  They each have one other kid in their class.  Mia and the boy in her class caught on quickly and within 4 weeks moved them up to the next level.  Mia now LOVES to put her face under water (none of the head tilt doggy paddle swimming like in Florida).  She even does this constantly in the bath now.  She can actually swim by herself and we are so proud of her!

Carter caught on too, not quite as fast, but in the last week he's really got the head-under-water thing down pat.  He seems to actually like swimming now!  I think he'll be swimming in no time.

 

I have to say, this new love for swimming is also due in large part to Grandma and Grandpa Baldwin.  For the last 3 or so weeks before school started, they took the kids every week to an open swim time during the day.  The kids absolutely loved getting picked up by Grandpa and Grandma mid-day at daycare for a swimming adventure.  They also spent the remainder of the day being spoiled by eating lunch at their favorite spots and going to the zoo and all kinds of fun activities!

We're keeping the kids in their classes for a while, we want them swimming across the pool and lapping other kids before we even think of taking them out of class.  

We love Goldfish Swim School!