Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Our First Lesson Went Swimmingly!

Athena had her first swim lesson tonight. She has a series of 8 over the next four weeks... every Tuesday and Thursday night. Well, really it will be seven, because she'll miss next Thursday when we are at Disney. No harm done. We'll be in the pool at the resort every afternoon, so she'll get plenty of practice.

I was terribly nervous about this class. I worried that she would be shy, and she wouldn't be willing to get in the pool without one of us in there with her. I worried she'd boss/push around the other kids. And I worried that I just blew $100 for nothing, since they don't really give refunds at The World's Most Expensive Gym (TM). (They will credit my "activities" account... but no money back... and no make up classes either. Scrooges.)

Indeed, when the teacher (Heather) gathered us together to start the class, Athena clutched my leg and asked me if I was going in with her. I said no, and tried to distract her by pointing out the other kids in the class (except Patrick, who was crying and begging his father to take him home). I worried that we were going the way of Patrick, until Heather said, "So who wants to play in the pool with me?!" Athena flew off my leg so quickly I was glad I wasn't wearing a skirt.

PLOP into the pool she went... and all was right with the world. And once again, I see what I'm paying for in this luxury gym we joined... FOUR kids in the class. FOUR. That's it. Lots of individual attention (especially since Patrick never really joined in until the end). Athena did everything she was told, and only got distracted twice... well, twice in a major way.

The best part... she didn't throw a fit when we left. She was cold and she was ready to go. It helped that we got there about 15 minutes early so she could splash around for a bit. It also helped that the class ends at 8, so by the time we got home, it was bedtime.

So today... a success. Chris will take her on Thursday while I make Dream Dinners. Hopefully that will go just as well!

3 comments:

Bern said...

She will be the Little Mermaid next time

Anonymous said...

Good for Athena! I am old enough to remember my little brother's first swim lessons. He spent all of the sessions sitting on the side of the pool, watching the other kids splash around. He didn't really learn to swim until he was in the Army. (He had to tread water for 10 minutes in the deep end wearing all of his clothes and a 40 lb. pack!)

eaf said...

Yeah, I'm kind of curious to see if little Patrick gets into it or not. Ironically, he's the biggest kid in the class.

It's always the tough guys...