I know it’s not seared in everyone’s minds as much as mine, but last years’ swim lessons were difficult, to say the least. The boys cried at 4 out of the 10 lessons and I never got to sit in the bleaches with the other parents. I just finished reading about it again here http://benjamiemorris.blogspot.com/2012/10/swim-lessons.html and am definitely feeling REALLY good about how lessons went this year!
After much deliberation, I decided that going every day for 2 weeks was probably the best approach for Seth and Sam. I’ve heard that they learn quickest this way, and I also thought it would help them not have the initial daily anxiety they had going Tuesday/Thursday. On the way to the first lesson, I told them that now that they are “big 4 year olds” I wasn’t going to sit by the side of the pool, but would be up in the bleachers with the other parents. And I also made a point to tell them “how much braver they are now that they’re four.” Their separation anxiety has been much better, and I was about 50% hopeful for no tears.
We arrived, walked to the pool, the teacher said “hi” and the boys froze, stuck to my legs. “Here we go again,” I thought, “Ugh.” I went for tough love/bribery approach—great parenting, right? I told them to obey, and get in the pool, and if they did it without crying they could have skittles from the vending machine afterwards. After some coaxing, they both got in…and I walked away. That’s when the screaming starting. BLOODY MURDER “Mama!!!!” from Seth. I kept walking to the bleachers, hoping he’d stop. Sam wasn’t crying, but also wasn’t letting the teacher touch him. After about 5 minutes of the screaming, I had had enough. Here’s either one of my best or worst parenting moments to date: I walked over to Seth, gently grabbed his little face and told him, “You don’t scream. You can still in here and cry, but you can’t scream. And if you continue to scream I’ll take away your legos for the rest of the day.” Oh boy, no legos, that got his attention. “I want to play my legos,” was his response. “Well, you better stop screaming then,” and then I walked away. And he stopped screaming.
That’s the extent of our drama for this years’ swim lessons. Day 2 arrived, they didn’t cry, I gave them each a handful of skittles from the vending machine (which gave them both stomach aches for the rest of the day from all the sugar—again, great parenting). Day 3 came and Sam and Seth were already plotting that this time they’d get m & m’s for not crying. I bribed them with swim goggles at the end of the 2 weeks if they continued not crying. It worked, they got their goggles which they want to wear (incorrectly) all the time now. Hilarious.
I felt like they learned a lot this year. They are such earnest learners, trying to keep their legs straight as they kick and their chests out of the water as they back float. They enjoyed their teacher and would even laugh and tease with her. By the end, they weren’t even looking to the bleachers to wave at me—which was wonderful and sad all at the same time. My little boys are growing up so much! 
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