Let the Swimming Begin

Yesterday was Ryan's first swimming lesson! Since we started talking about swim lessons at the beginning of the year, Ryan has been "afraid to go under water" and I was a little nervous about how well he would to on his first day. Swim lessons start a little after I get off work so Jake has to drop him off. But I made sure I had no other plans after work last night so I could be there to pick him up.

I sort of figured that Ryan would cry a little. It was pretty much the first time we were leaving him with strangers (parents cannot be there to watch until the last 2 days of lessons next week) and he already had a fear of going under water.

So when we got there to pick Ryan up and we heard crying coming from the pool area, I was pretty sure it was my kid. There were about 4 - 5 mothers standing outside the gates when we walked up. I was concentrating listening to determine if it was in fact Ryan doing all the crying. One of the mothers said, "I think that's my girl." I said, "Nope...pretty sure it's my kid!" I felt SO BAD that I couldn't just bust through the gate, scoop up my kiddo and take him home with me right then! When the instructors called "Towel Time" that meant we could go through the gate and (rescue!) pick up our children. We were the last parents in the gate and there sat my child, crying with a red face, sitting on the step in the pool. One of the instructors was sitting at his side trying to calm him. Jake asked, "Did he stop crying at all?" She said, "Um, for about a minute. But it's all right." I scooped him up, wrapped in his towel, threw his sweater on his head and got him in the car.

Needless to say, he didn't so much like swimming lessons. We bribed him with a "big swimming pool" for our backyard if he would continue the swimming lessons with no more tears. His response to this bribe, "And you'll get me a dirt bike?" HAHA!! Yeah, sure, why not!! :)

He will be going back to swimming lessons today. Swimming lessons will last for 2 weeks. I cannot wait to see how much he learns and progresses over the next 2 weeks! I'm really hoping he does better today. I think that we talked it up enough last night that he should be fine after today's lesson. Stay tuned for an update with pictures!