swim lessons

On Friday mornings we head to our swim lesson, which Jack and I do together. We are progressing slowly -- not that he is afraid of the water because that is not the problem at all. But he is afraid of the instructor, or shy towards her and very attached to me. Our class is thirty minutes long and in that time mostly me and Jack play, work on his kicking, blowing bubbles and generally splash around. Occasionally the instructor will come over and take him for a spin. He went under for the first time last week and when she brought him up he showed no emotion whatsoever . . . he did not scream in fear nor did he show excitement or enjoyment. It was like he was thinking, "What did this woman just do to me?" Then he turned to me and said, "Mama". We will try it again this week.

After the class we often hang out for another hour or more. Jack likes to sit in one of the kid's chairs and watch the other children swimming while he eats a snack. Then he runs around in the grassy area beside the pool or goes inside and plays with a few toys there.

We tend to take things like this and milk them for all they are worth. I have learned that it is not worth it to try to run around and do too many things with him in one morning. So once we land somewhere, it is hard to get rid of us!

In the shot above another little boy was crying hysterically because he did not want to go to his lesson. Jack was very concerned about this little boy. Quite often the stories Jack will tell after an experience will focus on any falls or upsets that another little one or he himself had.