Swimming

Today we went swimming and it was the closest I have come to see you really start to swim Chipmunk! 

The pool was crowded,it was Saturday and a lot of families where having great fun together.

I had said to you that I was going to pretend to be your swimming teacher and that you was going to try to swim like you do with Jenny on Thursdays and you did seem to take this too heart and do whatever I wanted you to do.

We started in the big leisure pool and you did great swimming on your back and then we swapped to your front and you seemed to prefer this,I guess you could see where you were going for a start and in a crowded pool that's a important thing! 

After a while we stopped the swim practise and played sharks and then the waves came on and you had a good time. It amazes me that when you are at the seaside you run and jump in the waves,go under the sea and get back up for more constantly but the waves at the swimming baths seem to floor you and you back away. I wondered if it was because the water gets on your face and that's what you don't like,so that's why I suggested that you stood up and it seemed to do the trick,next time we will try that first. 

After the waves had finished we went into the teaching pool and this is where you did your best swimming. We played chasing a ball,you threw it and them we both swam after it,the first one to get the ball could throw it again. 

And as they are always telling us at work boys love competition and you proved that theory right today! You swam as fast as you could to get that ball and I made it competitive and didn't let you win all the time,so it became a really good game and without me then encouraging you to swim,you was swimming,up and down the pool you swam until your little face was as red as your Liverpool shirt!

And that's got to be good!

And the best bit was it was all done through play. We all know children learn through play and why should swimming be any different? 

You swam more during that game of ball than I had ever seen you do before,nobody telling you to do it,instead you were instinctively doing it! 

So have I got a swimmer? Nearly I think!

And as you lie there fast asleep I'm sat here smiling,thinking of the possibilities this would bring for you,good possibilities Chipmunk! 

Fun,safety in water,a way to build up your upper body strength,good self esteem when you eventually have to swim with the school,a brill form of exercise,really good stuff!

So sleep tight little one,dream sweet dreams,I know I will be smiling as I drift off to sleep tonight - not quite a fish but getting there!