Back to swimming and a star float surprise
It feels like we haven’t been swimming for ages, although because we finished later than usual, it’s only been around 4 sessions over Summer that weren’t on…oh and then we missed the first 2 lessons of term.
I did manage to take N swimming in the holidays once at the outdoor pool – he was really excited walking out of the changing rooms to see the wonderful pool in the sun, but once in the pool wasn’t keen and wanted to get out pretty much straight away. It might have helped if we’d remembered to take his woggle, but I only had a float and me, so we couldn’t do anything unsupported by me really.
I was really hoping that the break over summer would let us start afresh in the autumn at our new class, having had about 6 weeks of not brilliant lessons prior to the summer break. I know now that N’s moans and groans at that time were due to his 2 month growth spurt, so I was definitely confident that he’d have passed that stress out period and he’d be back on form in the pool.
We’re still swimming with Water Babies (not for much longer as N will be ‘graduating’ once he’s 4), but have switched class into the oldest/most advanced one on our day. Makes me laugh as N is nowhere near swimming on his own confidently yet, he can do a few strokes under a tunnel before grabbing me, but has a long way to go yet compared to some of the others in the class who used to be in our class, but were moved up as they could swim alone for a reasonable length. One in particular made me almost cry – you can read the post on that here. Hopefully it’ll make N try a bit harder. All those left from his old class have moved up to this one, so it is nice to be reacquainted with the previous people from the class as well as the others we’ve not seen since before the summer holidays.
Amazingly, N had a ball this week. He jumped from the side with no problems, he tried everything in the class that we were told to do. He still does get distracted with what he wants to do, but is giving things a go.
The one thing he still isn’t keen on is being on his back, but he did amaze me. Usually at the end of the class, we all sing Twinkle Twinkle round in a circle. The children are often encouraged to star float during the song. Fat chance with N, who previously has occasionally agreed to try…for all of a second, before wanting to climb on my back and move round the circle. But this week, he was straight onto his back with no complaining, head back, arms and legs stretched out. Not just a quick try, but for the whole song! Ok, so I still had to support him, but with him actually being willing to do this of his own accord, it’s definite progress and something to work on.
Of course he waited for a different teacher to show off and do this (he was one of the only ones in the class as most wanted to ride on parents backs), so poor Lynsey his old teacher, missed seeing it.
So, it was a totally different lesson (again) to what we’d been experiencing in the summer, and one that I hope continues through any further growth spurts. Damn those developmental stages that children go through to put them out of sorts.
Have your children started new lessons or activities this term? Do they swim? How do you find growth spurts affect them?
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Disclosure: We swim with Water Babies, all thought and words are my own.
I so so so ought to get Joshua to lessons but i keep putting it off!
thanks for linking up with #MagicMoments
I’m so glad I stumbled upon your blog post via #MagicMoments! Because our little bear loves the water. She’s asked to go every weekend for the past month! We won’t have time to go this weekend due to birthday parties. We did swimming lessons when she was a baby and now she’s nearly 5, she’s confident in the water but not quite a swimmer yet (although I do feel that milestone is just around the corner…)
Aw, thanks for stopping by. It’s great when they love the water, but so hard to get there regularly when other family life and school gets in the way. Hope she cracks it soon.
I’ve been taking my little girl for the last two years, she will shortly graduate into classes without me (yay!) and she is confident enough, she just needs to learn to listen… 🙂 Well done to N, sounds like he’s doing really well x #MagicMoments
Wow, that’s cool. N is due to finish the term he’s 4, so will graduate from Water Babies mid Feb, at the end of the half term. He’ll then hopefully do the standard swimming lessons at that pool – I’m just hoping there’s space on their Saturday morning sessions. Don’t know how he’ll take to a) wearing float arm disc things and b) going in the pool on his own
Hello there, I was really interested to read this as I have just started taking my little boy to swimming lessons. It’s a steep learning curve, especially just before nap time, but we are persevering! Really glad to hear that your little man is enjoying it once again. #magicmoments
They do go through so many ups and downs, well, N has, every time he has a growth spurt or a big developmental leap. Water Babies were really helpful and adapted activities for us, so we could still take part. Thankfully he always comes through the downs and then enjoys it again as he progresses. The timings are definitely hard to sort out.
Swimming on the back is harder. Sounds like it is all going well despite any missed swimming times. We seem to be missing a lot for one reason or another lately.
Well done for keeping up with the swimming – I wish I had persevered when Grace was a baby! Thank you for linking to PoCoLo 🙂 x
Well done to N, jumping in a big achievement I think, mainly as I’m such a rubbish swimmer.
Thanks. He’s been doing it for ages, but before the summer break had a month or so of regressing and not wanting to jump or ‘dive’ in without holding me. So relieved he’s back enjoying it and trying again.
I’m really bad at taking my little one swimming mainly because we live no where near a pool, I love the idea of water babies but 🙂
That’s why I need classes. I’d never get round to taking him otherwise.
Yay for a start float, and for having had a lovely time, it’s so hard when they seem not to be enjoying something to know whether or not to continue; last year Kitty spent the first two weeks at ballet sobbing or sitting on my lap, only to run off like it was the most natural thing on the world on her third ‘make or break’ class, and now you’d never guess she found it so new and strange!
They do seem to turn it around at the last chance. Cheeky monsters. No ballet is the one thing I miss from having a boy.
Yey for the star float! Well done N! Wish we’d been there to see it! x
Just couldn’t believe it. No moans, just laid back and that was that!
I’ve been considering taking my two youngest boys to Water Babies but I guess the oldest of those might be too old now? He turns 5 next month 🙁
They can start as young as you want (saw one article of a baby that was 1 day old – I think that’s a bit madness myself given they’re not even used to feeding at that stage!), but they finish at 4 and then transfer to normal preschool swimming lessons.
They’re definitely good classes – for both parents and the children.