I finally got around to signing Wes up for swim lessons. The kid is a fish and I thought he would get a kick out of learning the right techniques to swim. Boy...was I wrong! I think there were a couple of factors that played into Wesley hating the lessons. #1- The very first day of lessons, the wind was blowing 20 mph, and it was pretty chilly outside. #2- Wesley has never really swam in the big pool at the rec center without his life jacket. #3- He didn't know his instructor, nor any of the kids in his class. On the first day, I walked him to the pool and told him to sit on the top step. He was doing great until the instructor tried getting him further into the pool and he wigged out and ran straight for me. I took him back to the pool kicking and screaming, and had to pry him off of me and hand him to the aide. I then walked away to a spot where he couldn't see me. From my hiding spot, I watched as my son (who LOVES to swim), kicked and screamed through the forty minute lesson! I was mortified! I couldn't believe what I was watching. I never in my wildest dreams would have thought he would react that way!
The next swim lesson was the day before my sister got married, so my Dad volunteered to take him while I helped my mom with wedding preparations. I bribed Wesley with two new hot wheels monster trucks and he told me he would go to swim lessons without crying. Shortly after arriving, my dad text me and this is how the conversation went:
Dad: Wes is crying and won't get in the pool...Should we just come home?
Me: No! Give him to the teacher and WALK AWAY!!!
A few minutes later, my Dad text back and said Wesley wasn't crying and was actually participating. I thought it was a break through! I was so excited to take him his next class. So...the next class came and he reacted the same way he did the first time. Kicking and screaming, with me prying him off my leg and throwing him to the teacher. I began to dread swim lessons. We even had Rob try and take him one day, but that didn't help either. His final lesson was on his birthday. I decided not to tell him where we were going. When we pulled into the parking lot, he began throwing a fit and started crying! I felt so bad forcing him to go, but I didn't want to teach him that he could just give up and quit. The wind was blowing again like crazy that day, so they held the lessons in the indoor pool. Wesley through a fit all the way to the indoor pool, and once again I had to pry him off my leg and hand him over to the aide. I went with Beckett and found a spot to sit. I tried to ignore my crying child but to my surprise the next time I glanced up, he wasn't crying! He was smiling, laughing, and even participating! I couldn't believe my eyes! Who was that child? He certainly wasn't mine! I was so happy that he finally was enjoying the lesson. I was also happy that I happened to have my camera in my purse and was able to snap a couple of pictures. Luckily...Wesley passed the class and can move on to the advanced tots class. I just haven't decided if I want to put either of us through it again!
Sorry...some of my pictures are blurry. I was hoping he wouldn't notice me.
Monkey, Airplane, Solider
Swimming on his back
Blowing bubbles
Beckett Man
Mom's happy to see him smiling!
No comments:
Post a Comment