Thursday, August 25, 2005

It's All Going Swimmingly ...

I'm not much one for swimming. I know how, I just don't
enjoy it all that much. And if you've ever seen me with
that garden hose you'd know I'm certainly not afraid of
the water.

My kids, on the other hand, love to swim. We've had them
taking lessons this summer and all three of them have done
very well. Another couple of days and they'll be done for
the summer.

Neva, my soon-to-be six-year-old, was afraid to get her
head and face wet when she started her lessons last spring.
She looked like a cat that's just been thrown in the water
but now, she looks and acts like a dolphin. She spends
more time under water than most fish.

Three-year-old Milo has also come a long way. He's the
youngest in his class and also the shortest, so the water
level in the pool comes to just under his shoulders. He
spent his first day of lessons climbing out of the pool
because he was so nervous about how deep the water was.
But now, he couldn't care less. He jumps right in and when
his lesson ends, he slowly ambles out of the pool.

And Willa too has been doing great. She goes with Mommy
and a bunch of other parents and their toddlers. She's at
the top of her class when it comes to blowing bubbles and
loves to be dunked under water.

It's fascinating to watch them and see how their confidence
grows. As I watch them with a great sense of pride, I'm
reminded that standing back a little and just letting our
kids do their own thing is sometimes the most rewarding
type of parenting.

Happy sweeping,

Bob Gunther
Webmaster, ContestHound.com

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