So Mads has been taking swimming lessons for a few months now.
As you may recall, we had one heckuva time trying to get her acclimated to the water. Of course, it was that last class before vacation where she really enjoyed herself. Lucky for us that it kicked in right then as Mads thoroughly enjoyed the pool during our Maui vacation.
A few weeks after we got back from vacation, we re-enrolled her. Things were different, though. Now that she had turned three, she had “graduated” from the toddler and me classes to the class without the parent.
Mads being awarded her Rainbow Ribbon!
I was a bit nervous for her first lesson, since she kept asking me to put my swimsuit on so I could go in the water with her. Umm…So, she reluctantly got in the water with her teacher and for the first few weeks, it was going well. The best part of these first few weeks, Mads was the only child enrolled at that time slot/level – so it was really private lessons for a few weeks. We had only one bad week, where she cried for the entire 30-minute lesson (yah, that was pleasant) – from that point on, we made sure she ate and slept, even if it was for 15 minutes, BEFORE class. Next thing we know, Mads is following instructions (shocking!): wearing both the goggles and the fins, waiting her turn, etc.
A week or two pass, two little boys join her class, and we can see her progressing a little bit quicker – she’s one to do what the others are doing. Before we know it, Mads has earned her rainbow ribbon (read: graduated to the next level)! To earn her rainbow ribbon, Mads had to follow directions, safely wait for her turn, make “Balloon Faces†and no crying for at least 3 weeks in a row.
Next up: the Green ribbon!
To earn the green ribbon, Mads has to doggy paddle swim six feet, using her arms and proper breath control.
This may take a bit longer…
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