Swim Lessons Round ONE

As you might recall, the kids & I stood in line for nearly 2 hours to register for a week's worth of free swim lessons at the community center. Lessons aren't really THAT expensive, I just really wanted them to take lessons this week. They're already signed up for lessons later in August, but with trips to Bebe & Grandpa's pool in Spokane & a trip to Sun River planned before that, I really wanted them to get some lessons in at the beginning of summer. And so, we waited. And waited and waited. Which reminds me I did forget to mention we went swimming too during the Grandpa's Choice Father's Day Weekend Extravaganza of Activity. but I digress. Eventually we get all signed up, and continue on with our weekend. I try to explain what the lessons will be like to Eloise, as she & I did Mommy & Me lessons last summer, but she'll be on her own for these ones..
Eloise is my daughter. For those of you who know me, well, she, like me, can be particular. Strong Willed. One might even say stubborn on occasion. After the soccer "camp" fun, I was a little worried for swim lessons. But she seemed really excited. She loves the water, and as I said, we had just gone swimming with Bebe & Grandpa and she had put on a life vest and swam all over the pool and LOVED IT.
First day of swim lessons arrives and we get suits on, pack undies, snacks, clothes, drive over, Georgia in backpack, kids out, walk in, shoes in locker, have them take the silly what-does-this-really-do shower and head in to the pool. We stop to find out where each class is meeting, but Eloise is already in the water. 'Cause we're going swimming, right? Not swimming? Swimming LESSON? I don't want a lesson, I just want to swim. HMMMMMM. Here we go....
She gets out of the pool and starts crying. So sad. So wet. I manage to get her to agree to either 1-Join her class if she can tolerate the silly games they are playing or 2-sit on the edge of the pool, ignoring all attempts by her well meaning teachers to engage her in activity. It really was quite entertaining to watch. She definitely had games she liked more than others--fetching the pink ring underwater, for instance was a "yea", while pretending the water was paint and splashing it on your face, "nea". And by day 5, she participated in the whole silly lesson. We'll see how round TWO goes in August!
ps--Sebastian was a super star and practiced floating on his back, putting his face in the water and steamboating, and making the darling little life-jacketed chain with his class and getting towed around the pool.
Good job kiddos...