Swimming Success

We had the most wonderful day swimming yesterday. It was really hot, but the kids didn’t seem to mind. We are all “face in the water” people now. I noticed that Hadley and Abby are doing the "frog." That's taking a big breath and going all the way under and taking a big frog paddle before coming back up. They are both very proud.

David, who refers to himself as Bavid Deaver and who told us about a bog who was darking loves to dip. That's when they are strolling throught he pool and suddenly dip under. It got a bit of the best of him yesterday, but he was very "drave."

Even the most delicate of the children are “smimming.” They are like ducks, and the general apprehension about kids going under has almost faded. Never have we had a fishier group!

Today I was the general – when am I not? And I told Chip he was going to swim the big test. He smiled his big smile and took off swimming. I was delighted and told him so and told him he could swim anywhere in the pool because he did so well. He was ecstatic.

About fifteen minutes later he wanted to go off the board. MMMM, said I to myself. It’s really quick from passing the test to the diving board over in the deep end. But he really wanted this, so I went over and told the guard that it was his first trip.

We practiced in the deeper end first letting him jump from the side of the pool and swim back so he would get the idea before the initial shock of flying through the air and then heading down into the depths of the deep end. He jumped a few times and then said he was ready.

“OK, jump off and swim to the ladder,” said I, and he jumped in and swam like a little fish. He LOVED it as they usually do. Half is pride; half is fun; alltogether it's just being a boy. Chip will spend the rest of the summer flying off that board in every conceivable manner he can think of. When he sees another boy do a flip, you can bet he will try to copy. And this is what makes swimmers.

Guess who is next? Jack H.