Swimming Lessons

We just restarted swimming lessons a few weeks ago and Samuel and Shira have both made amazing progress already.

To start with, Shira agreed to go to swimming lessons.  That is a new development in and of itself.  I've been asking Shira every couple of months if she would be interested in swimming lessons and the answer has always been a resounding no.  Then, suddenly, it was yes.

So we looked around for a new place to take lessons, since the swim school we used to go to seems to have ceased to exist.  We ended up at a place that is very close to our house, and has the benefit of being indoors without feeling like an indoor pool.  It is in a warehouse, has lots of windows, and has big roll up doors that can open up a whole wall on nice days.  It is very light, and not humid and chlorine smelling.

I'm especially pleased with how the teachers interact with the kids.  At her first lesson, Shira had me tell the teacher that she didn't want to put her face in the water.  The teacher just smiled and said that she didn't have to.  The next week, Shira had me tell the teacher the same thing.  This time he smiled and said that she would put her face in the water, but that she wouldn't mind it.  Shira was definitely anxious, but he put her at such ease, and had already created such a good rapport with her, that she smiled back nervously, and did everything she was asked. 

And just a few weeks later, look at her! 

 She spends most of her lesson with her face in the water.

I am completely blown away by her progress and the ease with which she went from being terrified of putting her face in the water, to totally comfortable.  And not a single tear!  Much different from Samuel's first swimming experience.  After the first week of class, Samuel and Shira both requested a second lesson per week, which Bubbie happily obliged getting for them as their Chanukah present left over from last year.

 This week Shira's instructor commented on what amazing lungs she has.  He said she can hold her breath longer than any other student he has.  All that screaming is really paying off in lung capacity.

When it is someone else's turn with the teacher (these are group lessons), Shira gets the rings, puts them on the steps and practices searching for them with her face in the water. 

The other great thing about this swim school, is that they have multiple lessons of differing levels going on in the pool at the same time, so Samuel and Shira are both taking their lessons at the same time from different instructors.

As you can see here, Samuel realized that Shira had found diving rings, and came over to acquire some of them for himself, while he was waiting his turn.

Samuel's swimming skills are really progressing, as well.

He is working on side breathing and really getting him arms out of the water. 

  

 So excited for our pool experiences this summer!