Swimming lessons

The kids finished a round of swimming lessons today.  Lincoln was old enough to take lessons this year, so I signed them up during the same time slot at The W. 

Emily was in the Preschool III class.  She did a great job listening to her teachers and cooperating every day.  She also made a new friend who was also named Emily. :)  Although Emily has made great strides over the last couple years, she still is hesitant about putting her face in the water and also won't put her ears in the water while on her back because she thinks it feels funny and tickles.  This is a major hurdle that needs to be overcome before she can pass to Level I where they actually start doing strokes without the teachers holding them up.

Lincoln loves the water, but he is a shore-dweller.  He had a great time the first day but didn't get wet past his thighs, and his face didn't get closer than 18 in. from the water.  After the second day, I started making deals and setting goals with him with a bribe of fruit snacks or ice cream.  First it was getting wet up to his chest.  Then it was touching the water with the tip of nose.  The following week it was jumping to his teacher, letting her pull him around in the water and touching his chin to the water (Lincoln giggles uncontrollably when his neck gets wet because he thinks it tickles).  There were a total of four kids in Lincoln's class, but his teacher was great about working with him one-on-one to make sure he met his goal every day.  He didn't "pass" the level, but I didn't really expect that from the beginning.

The last day is always "fun day" where the kids get to go down the water slide.  Lincoln had been talking excitedly about it for five days straight.  However, when the time came, he climbed up the stairs with his teacher, had a long conversation with her at the top and then chickened out and went back down the stairs.  I was not surprised at all.  We have a ways to go before we can go to a waterpark.

There is a video of Emily going down the slide in the July play list.  Here are some pictures from the windows at the W:

Lincoln finally jumping to his teacher.  That might be Emily floating on her back in front.

Lincoln did like playing "Red Light, Green Light".  Emily is jumping in the background.

We never did get Lincoln to participate in "Motor Boat".

Lincoln is talking his way out of going down the slide.

Emily "swimming" with her class to get in line to go down the slide.

This is a lot of what Lincoln did during lessons.

Emily was proud she was the only one in her class who didn't want/need a floatation device in the vortex pool.