Swimming Lessons: Zac

The boys have been in swimming lessons for the last 3 weeks. They have done great! They are both comfortable in the water, they like putting their face in and blowing bubbles, and they can both dive in and get to a back float. They also like to dive for sticks.

During Zac's second week of lessons, after his lesson was over he was playing on the stairs with the diving sticks, and got too far from the bottom step and was floundering just out of reach. The teachers were on the other side of the pool, with their current students (toddlers). I kept telling Zac to get on his back, but he was not in the mindset to compute that. I ended up stepping into the pool, fully dressed in jeans to get him. It was pretty much slow motion for me. I really did not want to get in. And to top it off, I couldn't go home. We were showing the house during the next 90 mins. So I ran to Wal-mart to get something dry to wear.

One time I took them to the rec center to practice their stuff, and they were both freaking out. I think because it was a new, unfamiliar place, but mostly because the water was cold. The pool they had lessons in was heated, like a bath. But after we practiced they were much better, when they got back to their lessons. I just wish it would warm up here to go to the pool outside and keep practicing!

There were a few teachers and we would have different ones depending on the day. This was their favorite teacher, Amanda.

This last week they were both having regular swim lessons instead of toddler lessons. Zac is working on form.

Floating on his back. They both still need to work on kick to get to the side of the pool.

Diving for sticks at the end of the lesson

Since I had to go in to save him a couple weeks ago (and 2 times last summer), after Zac's last lesson I wanted him to jump in with no one to catch him and get to his back float.  I wanted him to know that he could do it, with no help, and no one next to him. After 20 minutes of persuasion and a churro bribe, I got him to jump in the pool by himself, turn to float on his back and reach the side.  I was so proud of him, but proud of myself that I didn't just push him in after 15 mins of trying to convince :)