A Slow Starter

Sam started taking swimming lessons two weeks ago today.  I’ve learned a lot about Sam through this experience.  I wouldn’t call Sam a shy or timid child…especially when we’re out shopping.  Lord knows he’ll usually talk to anyone!  However, I’m learning that he definitely needs a few minutes to warm-up to new people or new situations. As evidenced by his first swimming lesson.

His very nice teacher Miss Abby arrived and met Sam. We talked a little about how she likes to get to know her students during the first lesson.  As a teacher and a mother, that sounded great to me!  I hopped out of the pool and got the camera ready. What I thought would be a very slow-paced lesson quickly turned into a very fast-paced lesson.  Sam hung on for the ride the best he could!  I figured Miss Abby needed to get through a lot of things in order to evaluate whether or not she thought she would be able to continue working with Sam or not.  It was one thing after the other. Doesn’t Sam look like he’s having fun?

But what he’s really thinking is “Lady! What are you trying to do to me?”

What you don’t see in those photographs is the storm that was brewing. 

  

After the lesson, Miss Abby and I talked about what might have made Sam cry throughout the lesson.  I really felt like he may just be the kind of kid the really needs to start off very slowly.  She said there are some parents who sit there watching the clock and counting the money thinking “I’m paying you to teach my kid how to swim so…”  I told her I was NOT that parent.  We talked about taking it VERY slowly for the next lesson and she agreed to try again.  Thank goodness!

Lesson #2—Better! Not Great, but much better.  For the first 10 minutes, I was in the pool with Sam and Miss Abby and then sort of gradually released him over to her. She went a lot slower this time.  He did everything she said and seemed to bond with her, but still cried a little wanting to get out.  However, the cause this time appeared to be the growly, scary sounds coming from the pool.  I spent the last half of the lesson trying to control the scary sounds by pushing water into the drains.  So, while not a great lesson, better than the first. Luckily, Miss Abby agreed to keep seeing us!

Lesson #3—Yay!!! Third time’s a charm! What a great lesson! Sam cried to get out of the pool for about 3 minutes, then all of a sudden he realized he was having fun.  I talked on the phone the whole time and listened to him laugh with Miss Abby as they played games all around the pool.  It was a great lesson!  Thank God! I was worried that Miss Abby might give up on him! I was happy when she told me that she found out after Sam’s first lesson that she also cried when she began taking swimming lessons! And look at her now!  Swim coach extraordinaire!

Thank you, Miss Abby!