Summer Swimming Lessons

We love to go to the pool during the summer months. Therefore, everyone must learn to swim. Erica, Ashlin and Justin took a session of swimming lessons this summer at the YMCA. Cara took this session off because she has only two levels left to pass. Usually, the kids take swimming lessons through the city recreation program, but this summer the YMCA was cheaper and I wanted to have lessons in the morning rather than the evening.

This was Justin's second session of swimming lessons, but his first session to take alone without a parent. He had a blast and thought that he was so grown up.

Justin's instructor, Kat, was never far from him. Justin wore a floatation device at all times because he cannot touch the bottom most of the time in the pool. She would ask him, "Can you touch here?" and most of the time he would say, "NO". He did not pass because he cannot swim without a floatation device, but it was a huge step up for him to swim without a parent in the pool beside him.

Ashlin also did not pass her level of swimming. But her instructor praised Ashlin for how far she had progressed in two weeks. At the beginning of swimming lessons, Ashlin could not swim without a floatation device and after two weeks she could swim the length of the pool without, she could kneel dive, jump off the board alone and swim to the side, etc. Jill, her instructor, said that Ashlin had made huge progress to becoming a good swimmer. Now she loves going to the city pool and jumping off of the diving board without some one's help.

Erica did pass her level. She had been stuck at this level for awhile, but she did it. In this photo, she had to jump into the pool fully clothed and swim the length of the pool. Erica has progressed into a much better and stronger swimmer since last summer.

Keith and I feel much more confident going to the pool with the kids knowing that they have taken another session of lessons and have become stronger swimmers. This summer I have even taken the kids to the pool by myself. Last summer I didn't feel confident enough with their swimming abilities to take them by myself. We feel much safer knowing that they are stronger swimmers.

Take care,

Michelle