Success at the Pool

Swimming was a great success.

My eldest son, who had been so worried, was in a class of 2 with another boy who appeared to be about the same standard. He thoroughly enjoyed the close attention from the teacher and the lack of pressure to perform in a large group. Even sitting with me while his brother had his lesson first, he was getting quite excited and asking how long until he could get into his trunks. It is something that I've noticed before, how necessary it is to feel safe in order to have fun and to learn.

My middle son threw himself, literally, into his lesson with his customary enthusiasm. His assigned teacher was off sick and so a young man, who I think is Lithuanian, was standing in. I haven't been to this pool many times, but every time I've been someone has told me what a great teacher this guy is, so I was really pleased. (Not that I would wish his regular teacher ill, but I can't help hoping she's off all week!) From my viewpoint on the other side of the pool I could see my son jump into the water and splash away leaving his teacher mid-sentence. Every time, his teacher would patiently stop him, explain something, and then off he would go again. I could see how hard he was trying to take on board what he was being told and afterwards the coach told me how much he had improved even in one session. So excited was my boy to keep practicing that he was back in the pool during his brother's lesson and I could see again how he was rehearsing what he had been taught.

At the end of the lessons a giant inflatable was brought out so they played for a while longer. They came home excited with their lessons and my seven-year old went to bed with a talking book for an hour. A morning well spent!