D's Summer Classes

I decided to put Drew in a couple summer classes: beginning swimming lessons and Lil Champs Sports Camp. The swimming class is just designed to help kids feel comfortable in the water, jumping in, blowing bubbles, etc. I figured Drew could use this considering he's almost drowned twice in the past year or so, and since he won't leave the steps when we go swimming at the apartment pool. Last summer he would swim around with me no problem. This year? NO WAY! He wears a life jacket and still just wanted to play on the steps. I don't know....maybe after his two awful water experiences he didn't trust me anymore? I mean, I was the one present both times he ended up falling in. Maybe he has some small trust issues with me and water.
  Anyway, during the first lesson on Monday, he wouldn't get in the water. I was barely able to convince him to sit on the side with the other kids. I put him in a class for 3 and 4 year olds with little to no experience in the water. He kept trying to come sit by me, so I finally just put him in the water with his teacher. She swam around the pool with him for about 5 minutes and he SCREAMED the ENTIRE time!! He was crying and yelling for me....not to mention reaching for me while he was out in the middle of the pool. I knew that he was fine and the classes would help him, but I still felt awful! Not to mention there were about 6 other classes going on at the same time. I decided after that first lesson I would move him down to the lowest class, Puddle Jumpers for 2 and 3 year olds. Why? He obviously wasn't quite ready for that older class and there was only one other boy in the younger class.

This was the first lesson, so I don't have any pictures of him in the water...I was too busy feeling guilty. I forgot the camera the second day, so unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of him actually having fun!

  As we were heading back for lesson 2 on Wednesday we talked about how these classes were to help him not be scared and to learn to have fun in the water. I told him his teacher would hold him and he wouldn't sink. I also said that when he screams the whole time, it's not fun for anyone and he couldn't learn to not be scared. I took it as a good sign that he was still excited to go to swimming lessons. I couldn't believe the difference a day made! He went right to his new teacher, sat down on the side and went with her the first time she asked! No crying, no screaming and no hesitation. Just pure joy the ENTIRE time!! Was this the same kid who went swimming on Monday? Well, the next time we went swimming in our pool, he played on the steps at first. However, he did go swimming with me (still wearing his life jacket) a few times, and was even laughing and having a good time. He still doesn't like me to try to let go, but we're taking baby steps right now. Hopefully by the end of the 5 week class he'll realize that the life jacket won't allow him to sink and he'll try to start swimming around a bit on his own.
  I also signed him up for a sports class. It's a 6 week class, once a week, and they work on basic skills for soccer, baseball and basketball. They spend 2 classes on each sport. Day 1 was soccer. At first, he wouldn't really participate, but by the 2nd "center" he was having a blast. He loved kicking the ball into the goal, at other balls and cones, and using a beach ball to do headers! I think it helped that the lady in charge of the class is Erik's scout leader from church. :) I am also volunteering as a "coach." Hey, I get free rec center/water park passes for it, so why not? I mean, I'm there anyway! He was a bit upset they didn't get to play basketball, but he still had a good time.

This was his first rotation and he wasn't too happy because he wanted the ball with the stars on it, but the little girl behind him got to it first. 

As you can see, he made sure to get a ball with stars at every other rotation. Haha. Gotta love my stubborn little boy! 

He did great, and had fun, but he was ready to leave when it was over. :)