Poolside Mummy

Poolside Mummy

As you know, our swimming pool has finally re-opened – yippee!!  Monkey and I have been a couple of times in the last few weeks and he has loved being in the water.  As soon as I got a letter about new swimming classes, I was there like a shot.  Yes please, when can we start? Because he’s 4 he is having Stage 1 lessons, which means I am to be a poolside Mummy.

Monkey was so excited about his lessons, until I mentioned that I would be a poolside Mummy now, that I wasn’t allowed to get in the pool with him.  It didn’t go down well. At all.  Tears, tears, tears and shouting, Mummy I don’t want to go anymore.

Oh dear, I got Daddy P to have a man to man chat with him, whilst I was at Spring Fair on Sunday.  The boy was not for budging.  He hates change, he’s never been in a pool, any pool, without me.  I might have admitted defeat, if I hadn’t seen how much he actually loves the water.  He is so unlike me!

So on Monday, we’d talked about swimming at breakfast, still not budging.  Off he went to Nursery School, and I got his swimming bag ready and brought it downstairs.  He came home from Nursery School, I don’t want that!  Promptly took it back upstairs.  I brought it back down.

Ok, let’s just go to the pool and meet the teacher.  We can just watch everyone else and you can see how you feel.  But I’d take your costume in case you change your mind.  Ok, but I’m not going in.  I had visions of what would happen, meltdowns, trying to drag me in fully clothed etc.

Anyway, we arrived at the pool, early.  It’s me, of course we were early.  Monkey decided he would get changed. Ok, well that’s a start.

Poolside Mummy Poolside Mummy

He met the other children in his class, we didn’t know anyone.  That’s ok.  Then two instructors tell us our teach is off sick.  Not good news.  More change, if he can get through this lesson!  The other children obeyed instructions and quickly marched into the pool.  Monkey stood fast, attached to my leg.  One of the instructors saw my plight. He was absolutely brilliant, got Monkey to hold one of his hands and then finally take the other.

Then very slowly, he coaxed him down the steps (steps he launched himself down last week with me).  He was in the pool.  I was allowed to stay near the edge, instead of going to the viewing area, some way away.  Monkey kept looking at me for reassurance.  But he didn’t cry, he followed instructions.  He was far more tentative with what he did compared to our sessions together.  But he got there, forward, backwards, blowing bubbles, splashing around and washing dirty laundry.  He even smiled, sometimes!

I was so overcome with emotion.  He was doing things in the pool, without me, things I can’t do now.  I was beyond proud of my son, as a poolside Mummy, where I shall be every week from now on.

I did very well didn’t I Mummy?  Yes, Monkey, you did really well, you did really well.  I am so proud of you for letting go, for trusting a stranger, for trying something new.

I watched my son begin a new chapter in his life on Monday.  I want him to be a happy swimmer, you have no idea how important that is to me.  He does love it, he just lacks confidence, I think he realised that too, and went with the flow.  Took a chance.

I’m a hormonal wreck at the moment anyway, but I cried all the way home in the car.  Happy tears, tears of pride, tears of relief that my son is not afraid to get wet, to be in a swimming pool. I can honestly say that I have never been prouder oh my little boy.

Now I just need to find somewhere that does adult lessons in the mornings!

Linking up with Small Steps Amazing Achievements this week 🙂

 

20 thoughts on “Poolside Mummy

  1. Ahhhh how lovely. Good for him! I love reading your blog & all the new things Monkey is doing by himself. I can imagine I’ll go through it all with my little bear. Can’t wait to read about his next adventure/achievement xx

  2. Well done Monkey, it’s such a proud moment watching them do things like this, we are trying to get Mister B to go to lessons on his own but he’s refusing so we will try again in a few months.

  3. This is just wonderful, really made me smile! I remember both my boys taking that step to classes on their own. It took my oldest a while, he’d sit on the side watching and refuse to get in! He got there in the end and is now heading towards being a better technical swimmer than me 🙂 The 4yo was fairly fearless, but it took him a while to jump in on his own, didn’t like his head going under. The wee girl, well, she’s just fearless! I know exactly what you mean about the pride though, I literally though I would burst on Monday when the wee girl swam. Well done Monkey, a truly wonderful moment xx

  4. This is so great Mary, I know you were really worried about the lessons. I’m hoping swimming lessons will be in our future too so I’m hoping Bud will take to it as well as Monkey did.

  5. That’s a super story. It takes me back in a flash, not so much to my own kids’ infant days, but my own. Like your son, I knew I was best off with my Mum, but eventually you have to take the plunge. Hope the rest of the lessons go well.

  6. What a fantastic moment, it made me cry too. This is my next step, being a poolside mum, it scares the life out of me! I’m so glad that it went so well for you, after a little persuasion. Monkey is doing so well, he is getting very brave.

    Thanks for linking up with Small Steps Amazing Achievements :0)
    x

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