The particular method that their instructors use is not for a lesser mommy to watch. The kids work very hard for 15 minutes a day (4 times a week) for a month. The instructors take turns dunking them into the water and propelling them forward to get the kids to start kicking and paddling. They pop the kids up from underwater every few seconds so they can get a breath. They continue their lesson in a calm and reassuring, yet take-no-prisoners manner until both kids are exhausted and ready to get out. While in the water, they both cry and scream and become hysterical after swallowing mouthfuls of water. Laney hates going so much that she wraps herself around my neck as I carry her to the pool and her instructor has to help pry her off of me. They both get sick after getting out of the pool because of all that crying and the water they have taken in. Still, as soon as they are both dry, they are back to their normal moods and Laney usually professes over dinner that it was fun to swim. Liam has begun swimming underwater a few feet back and forth from his teachers and can float on his back by his self. Laney swam half the distance of the pool yesterday. The instructors flip her to her back every few feet so she can get a breath of air before continuing. They made so much progress in 4 days!
The instructors promise me that at the end they will be able to flip to their backs and swim to the steps of the pool after falling in fully clothed. They assure me that the kids will even like swimming when we are done with these lessons. (Let's hope so! They aren't cheap.) Drowning prevention is a must for us since we spend so much time at Shesh's house, and will be going to Lake Tahoe this summer. I am just hoping that they still like swimming after all of these lessons end in a few weeks...In the meantime, I have started wearing crappy clothes to the pool and face the kids away from me when I wrap them in towels. Oh the joys of motherhood. It's just so glamorous.
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