Swimming Lessons and Other Acts Of Self Sacrifice

Up until recently my three year old daughter has hated swimming. I totally relate to that. You'd have to work pretty hard to convince me to get in a pool. It just doesn't appeal to me much. You're hair gets all messy and wet, your mascara runs, and a wet bathing suit just feels gross! As a kid I enjoyed it, but as an adult it just feels like too much of a hassle. I'm fun, I know.

Most kids do like swimming though. It's one of those childhood staples. We wanted to encourage Miss. A to go in the water. As a toddler she really didn't want to have any part of it. She was going through a I-don't-want-to-get-dirty phase. She was the only fourteen month old I know that kept a napkin at her highchair and used it. I'm not kidding at all. She was totally OCD about staying clean! Now at three years old she has relaxed a little bit. Not a lot, but just enough.

We had her birthday party at my parents house because it has much more space than ours. It was while there that Miss. A actually went in the pool! Dad managed to convince her to "test out the water" for him to make sure it was OK. She still clung to him, but she wasn't crying or begging to get out. In the past the mere suggestion of going in the water resulted in a panicky "no!". The next day she went in again, and then again and again. Each time enjoying it more and more. Yay! She's normal!

So considering that our parents have a cottage or a pool, we thought swimming lessons were in order. The first day it was loud, the water was cold, and she was not at all prepared to entertain them. The next lesson she did better. The third much better. Now she's really enjoying them and looks forward to them every weekend. I asked her favorite part last weekend and she replied "going under water". What?? That amazes me that she's come so far in such a short time. However there is a hitch to all this.


DH was supposed to do the lessons with the kids. I would watch one while the other was in the pool and then switch them out. You know, tag team like. The problem is that somehow I got stuck in the pool! Me! I HATE going in the pool! Plus, I have to put my face in the water. Don't get me wrong, I love taking her. She has so much fun and is so proud of what she's accomplished. It just seems like a weird irony that now I have to learn to like swimming. Yuck! The universe has a cruel sense of humour.