If any of you can remember my postings about Ivy and gymnastics, just add water and that was Ivy in swim lessons. Actually, I'm being Drama Mama there, but, she is not going back anytime soon. Even if I could convince her, which is pretty much out of the question since she will begin to bawl very loudly if I even mention the pool now, I wouldn't have her back in that class.
Dance class really works because we aren't able to stay with her. We were pretty leary about swimming because we have to stay at the pool but we don't have to get in with her. But she can still see us and we can see her and that is kind of stressful for all of us. She also really doesn't like the water that much without her cousins.
I was so proud of her because she went right to the pool steps and sat with the other kids and then got in. You guys, she is TINY!! I never really realize it until we are around kids her age, but she is a teeny tiny dolly compared to the rest in her class. When the instructor, who was all of, um 10 (Drama again) asked the kids to put their faces in and blow bubbles 3 out of the 4 knew how to do that. Ivy hates putting her face in, so she was the one that wasn't doing it. I could see and feel her anxiety across the pool. Then another kid splashed her in the face and that was all she wrote for swim lessons. Ivy started bawling. The instuctor set her on the step and turned to the rest of the kids. I waited for a minute until I could hear the point in her cry where I knew it wasn't stopping. I looked at the instructor and asked her what she wanted me to do. She SHRUGGED. I kid you not. With that, I scooped up my baby girl and left.
On my way out, the activities director came up to me and asked me to try again tomorrow. I could tell that she was embarassed by the way her staff interacted with me and Ivy, so she was kind of trying to save face. We then agreed to try private one on one lessons with Ivy and a more experienced instructor. But now that I've typed that I realize that she didn't call me today to set up a time. Hmmm.
I never thought that I'd be "that kind of mom". You know, the one where their kids are too precious for public lessons. But, I'm realizing more and more that it doesn't matter what mom I thought that I'd be, but the kind of mom that Ivy needs me or requires me to be. Does that make sense?
Anyhow, if I do make private lessons, they aren't going to be at 630 at night. Lord, I should know that much by now. Hopefully something before nap!
PS. My headache was better yesterday, but then icky again today. It really has something to do with the cloud cover. When it is overcast the pressure in my ear is horrid. Some sort of connection with the pressure in my head. Ah well.
I still have bridesmaid stuff to write about, swap stuff to write about and property stuff to write about,but this is enough for tonight. Sleep well all.
5 comments:
Poor Ivy...I wish I could come teach her. I haven't taught swim lessons since I was 22 (that was a LONG time ago) but I think I could still help her a little. I would also have snatched my baby up...that teacher needs a clue!
:( Ugh!
I remembered how much I hated swim lessons at 3 years old. I didn't like water in my face either. It was a completely different time because the teacher would come by and dunk us, and I would scream. (And I was a really good kid. This was completely outside my normal character.) There's more to the story, but it would freak you out! :P
When I finished, I knew enough not to drown. But to this day, when I swim with friends, I still figure out new things. (I'm so ungraceful.) I'm like, oh that's how you breathe when you swim! For me, I think it would have been much better to wait until I was 5 or a little older. I retained very little of the knowledge from those lessons.
If its any consolation, my kids do private lessons, too. But then again, I'm pretty sure that I am "that kind of mom." Oh well.
so did the director call? are you going to take Ivy back?
i remember when Jelly Bean started swimming lessons at age 5 that it was extremely frustrating for both of us - but now, as a teen, she loves the water. so the bad lesson experience didn't warp her forever! :o)
I'm sorry that you had such a bad experience. That would definitely leave a bad taste in my mouth as well.
At Forest's lessons, they are very good about helping the children that are afraid. I wish they would have done that for Ivy too!
We did preschool at the beginning of the year and Forest wanted to do it again, so I enrolled him in Level 1, which they assured me was not that much different, just that they had to jump in the big pool, and that was it. Well, they are not only making them jump in the big pool, but it is is off the friggin diving board! How scary when you are 3!!!! Of course he won't do it - although he did let them lower him in. I feel like giving up on going, really.
Anyway, enough about us. Hoping it gets better for you!
HUGS
Post a Comment