Who Learned to Swim?

This girl.

For one day.

Leah was so proud of herself for swimming all by herself last week. She was working hard to go to Funland (which I would have taken her to anyway).

She swam over and over in class. I was so surprised/shocked/excited for her that I was crying in the waiting room.

Then, we went to our neighborhood pool so we could show Daddy. Somehow, Leah went from excited to a whiny, hysterical mess. We didn't push it, and just swam with her in the pool for the rest of our time there (i.e. carry her around in the pool).

 I thought the next lesson would be better. It was sooooo much worse. She spent the 30 minutes alternating between crying, whining, and calling for me. It was so bad that I was texting Chris on advice as to whether I should just go in there and pull her out of the pool mid-lesson (I didn't). 

We talked extensively about how that was not appropriate behavior, and she needed to manage her emotions better in lessons. We try to reassure her, but the fact is that she needs to learn to swim. It is a total safety issue. 

Now, she is back to dreading swimming and crying at the thought of it. I signed her up for a week straight of lessons next week (6 lessons that week!). We are alternating between reassuring her, showing her videos of kids having fun swimming, bribing her, and threatening her. I'm sure she will tell her psychiatrist all about it in a few years. 

Hopefully the weather will be better this weekend, and Auntie Renee can give her a pep-talk/mini  swim lesson without me. I don't think my presence is helping her. 

We know she can do it. I'm hoping to report back with better news soon.