Bravery at the swimming pool

Bravery at the swimming pool

Monkey has been having swimming lessons for a while now.  I used to get on the pool with him and it was fine, then the pool shut for a year.  Now he’s a big 4 year old boy, he gets to have swimming lessons without me.  This all started quite well, but then we had the ‘cling on’ effect.  All of the other children would follow the instructor round to the side of the pool.  They’d all quite happily leave their parents.  Not Monkey, I’d have to go pool side with him clung to my leg, literally.  Then the process of peeling him off me would begin.  Over a few weeks I finally persuaded the instructor that she or her assistant really should just take him from me as soon as possible.  It was better for everyone, especially for Monkey.  Last week we saw a change, saw some bravery at the swimming pool.

Please don’t think I’m an awful mother.  Making Monkey do something he doesn’t want to do.  Trust me, as soon as I’ve left and walked to the viewing area, Monkey is fine.  He enjoys himself.  He just struggles to leave me.  I don’t know why.  If he was crying and really upset, then I wouldn’t be taking him to lessons any more.  But he’s not.  He knows I always come back, he can even see me at the swimming pool.  But every week is the same.  Until last week.  It was Easter Monday, Daddy P was actually around, and had never seen Monkey at a swimming lesson. So Daddy P was coming with us.  I did toy with the idea of him changing Monkey and me going straight to the viewing area.  But that could have gone terribly wrong for a number of reasons.  So, we waved Daddy P off, showed him where to sit and I got Monkey changed as normal.

We were really early, not quite sure how that happened, but it gave Monkey time to get used to being at the swimming pool.  He could see Daddy P.  That was exciting.  Now remember Monkey, Daddy P has come to see you swim and to see your bravery at the swimming pool.  Can you sit with the other children today?  Without clinging on to Mummy?  No!  That told me.

The instructor arrived, right everyone come and sit down by the pool please.  Monkey held on tightly, come with me Mummy.  So off we went, we were first in line, he wasn’t happy about it.  Monkey why don’t you sit down and show everyone else where to sit today.  I didn’t expect him to listen to me for a minute.  But he did.  He sat down, he let go of my hand.  The instructor and I looked at each other, I legged it!  A little bit of bravery at the swimming pool.

Not only did he sit with all the other children, he then proceeded to get in the pool, the correct way, by himself.  He knows how to do this, has done it lots of times when he was younger in his lessons.  Has done it lots of times when we’ve gone swimming together.  Has not done it once since starting big boy lessons.  But there he was, another bit of bravery at the swimming pool.  Or was it just having Daddy P there?  Let’s hope not!!

Bravery at the swimming pool

26 thoughts on “Bravery at the swimming pool

  1. Yay, go Monkey. Sometimes it just takes one random little change to routine and it’s like there’s a switch goes off, and all improves from that point, once they get that confidence. Here’s hoping it continues.

  2. Well done to Monkey! Let’s hope it’s the start of regular successful swimming lessons. (And I don’t think you’re a bad mother for walking away – I think it’s the only way.) I remember when my daughter was a nightmare at swimming lessons. She would cry and cling for a whole term, then the next term she would be fine. Then she would move up to the next level and the cycle would start again. She’s a lovely little swimmer now.

  3. That’s really something to be proud of! It’s wonderful that he did it on his own, maybe you should take Daddy along a couple of times. #SSAmazingAchievements

  4. So hard for our kiddies to be separated from the person that they trust the most. Well done him for being so brave.

  5. Let’s hope having Daddy there was the incentive he needed to be brave and continue to be so. Children have funny little quirks about things sometimes don’t they? I do love that photo too x

  6. Monkey was great and so brave, I have M who is an avid swimmer, yet Mister B who has zero interest in lessons. I think Monkey is doing great for 4 yrs old and getting braver each week!

  7. Well done Monkey, I really hope this bravery continues for your Mummy. This post did make me laugh, we have moments like this, especially those ‘quick run’ moments! It’s amazing the difference a daddy being present can make, I’m sure our children just like to make us look like liars ;0)

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

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