Aiden The Fish?

Aiden has been quite resistant to Shaun's efforts to teach him how to swim...he's not a risk-taker. So when I saw that the town was offering swim lessons a couple blocks from our house from now until late April, I thought that would be perfect....learning in a group with a non-parent instructor and finishing up in time to put it to good use.

There was much wailing and gnashing of teeth when I broke the news to him that I'd signed him up. I mentioned it everyday in the week leading up to Saturday and each time invoked tears. Finally, I asked Shaun to have a man-to-man talk with him, which he did. It was brief and to the point...I'm so jealous of how men do conversation. :)

On Friday Aiden asked if daddy had a basketball game that night. I said no, he's all done....the only sport going on right now is swimming. Then he puffed out his chest a little and started talking trash about how he was going to swim faster than all the other kids in the class. Nice.

Saturday morning he came down dressed and packed to go to swim.  Phew! When we got there he went right to the edge and sat down as instructed and quickly made friends with the kid in the yellow. They were the two biggest, and presumably oldest ones in this "preschool" class, with the least amount of expertise, but they didn't seem to notice or care as they chatted it up the entire time.

I tried not to be smug as I watch two of the parents down there coddling, begging, pleading with their child to participate because...if not for the grace, there go I. :)

They began the class dangling their feet in the water and taking turns being held in the water by the instructor and by the end they were swimming across the pool unassisted, except for a floaty on their back. I was impressed with the progress in one hour.

As I was helping him change in the locker room after he said, You were right Mom..thanks for signing me up for swim lessons! Win!

I will rest easier and he'll have so much more fun this summer with his new-found skill and confidence. Now we need to get him loving his bike with no training wheels. Life on the edge! ;)