Aqua Tots

I recently discovered a Community Ed class called Aqua Tots that's designed to help kids get used to and be comfortable in the water.  Since there aren't many places to take Caleb swimming in the summer (unless Lake Superior counts, which it doesn't), I thought this would be a good opportunity.  We'll be spending 30 minutes in the pool each Saturday for the next 8 weeks.

I was curious what Caleb would think.  While he loves baths, the only time he's ever been in a pool before - last summer at Eli's cousin's house - he clung to Eli like a leech.  Well, let's just say that I had a little leech clinging to me today too.

The water was cold.  Colder than I expected, so that didn't help.  But I think he was timid more than anything.  And he clung to me.  I mean, clung to me.  If I tried to put any distance between him and me, he practically strangled me around the neck.  I think I had nail marks on my shoulders too.  So it took him awhile to warm up to the idea of being in the pool.  But hey, at least he wasn't crying!

Most of the other kids were laying in their parent's arms and splashing and kicking.  Caleb held onto me like I was the only life preserver in the building.  Most of the other kids were moving up and down and side-to-side while singing "The Wheels on the Bus".  Caleb held onto me like I was the last lifeboat in the ocean.

He took a looooong time to get acclimated, all the while shivering because he was so cold.  I told him he'd warm up if he kicked and wiggled a bit, but my encouragement came to nothing.  So I just moved around with my little leech attached.  I forced his legs to kick a little, which eventually made him smirk.  I bounced up and down getting him deeper in the water, which eventually made him smile.  I spun in circles and showed him how exciting this whole swimming thing can be, which eventually made him laugh.

Then, during the last 5 minutes of class we were supposed to set our kid on the edge of the pool and have him jump back in to us.  I didn't think Caleb would let go of me to even sit on the edge of the pool, but he did.  And then he instantly wanted back in my arms so he sort of thrust himself into the pool with me and somehow thought that was fun!  We did that over and over at the very end of the class, and suddenly he wanted to lay flat in my arms with his belly in the water and kick a little.  And he was smiling!  I couldn't believe it.

So we ended on a happy note, which will hopefully help him be excited next week.  He may never be the next Michael Phelps, but if he ends up kicking in the water every time, I'll consider it a success!