Swimming Lessons

For the past 2 weeks, Marissa has been taking swimming lessons in Gatlinburg.  She's nine, and this is the first time she has ever taken, mostly due to failure on my part.  Everyone else's hectic schedule always seems to put it on the back burner.  The fact that makes this newsworthy to me is how great she has done.  She has never wanted to take swimming lessons, and absolutely has refused to put her face in the water.  Last year she was still in the pool with floaties, and it was getting kind of embarassing.    When we went to my parents' in early July, we went to a pool that is part of the community they live in.  We were impressed because after 2 trips, she actually dog paddled part way across the pool without the floaties.  She still wouldn't get her face wet, though.  It took major convincing to get her to jump off the side in 4 ft.. without someone to catch her.  So, when I came home determined to get her in lessons this year, I didn't know how it would go over.  Lessons are at 6:00, so James has taken her 3 days each week, and I have gone the last one to watch.  In her first week, she was swimming the length of the pool on her back with no help at all.  Her attempt at the crawl stroke was a little above the dog paddle(we saw arms come out occasionally), and she would stick her nose and mouth in the water on occasion.  And, she was bobbing under water for a split second.  I was amazed.  (Why won't she do for me what she will do for a different teacher?!)  This week, not only is all of that improving, including bobbing under water, and actually staying there a tiny bit longer, she is also jumping off the side in the 10 ft with no one to catch her, swimming back to the surface, over to the teacher, and back to the side with no help.  WOW!  For her to have started where she did, I am very proud of her.  I am proud that she is in there trying and not letting her fear get the best of her.  And, on top of that--she's having fun.  It was her idea to sign up for a 2nd week, and she wishes she could keep going.  (She's better than me.  I swam all the time growing up, and I HATED swimming lessons.)

For those of you who live around here, we much prefer the lessons in Gatlinburg than the ones in Sevierville.  We've never tried PF.  Gat. has their pool closed during lessons, so it's not full of other screaming, jumping kids to distract..  There are only 3 or 4 kids in the classes, and we have always been happy with the teachers.  I can't say the same for Sev. 

Today is her last day, so I'm off this evening to watch our progress.  She is soooooo excited for me to come see her jump off the side in the deep.  Fun!!