Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Learn to Swim

Let's celebrate.

Yesterday was a great day for me. It would definitely be the greatest day of all for my daughter. I received an email from her swimming teacher telling me how impressed she has been with her ability to swim now.

From young, my daughter has fear in water. She was comfortable only to play in the baby pool even at the age of 7! I must admit that I didn't do my job really well to make sure she picked up swimming at younger age.

The thing was I myself was not able to swim. I was fear of water too. I had let her tried when she was 5. After a few lessons, she gave up. 

Ever since then, she was surviving well in school. There were swimming lesson, she managed to pick up some breathing and floating skill...Free style, breaststroke ... yes, she knows the style, but to swim...no way! 

Time passed, two international schools she has moved on since she was 6, so far none of her teachers at school saw it a problem. Unfortunately, or should I said fortunately, the current school she is going to, view it as something totally unacceptable!  

I recalled three week ago, a letter from her new school swimming teacher came. She was very concern over my girl's swimming. She emphasized that it is a life skill that everybody must learn.

She suggested that after the spring break, have her joined the after school activities of younger age group because her level was way below the expectation for her current grade. I signed her up straight away thinking that it would be a good chance to push her swimming.

Unfortunately, I overlooked one little issue. Pride. 

My daughter refused to join the younger group swimming lesson because she said that they would tease her. I told her that they were so young, they won't realise that you were actually an older kid because it was just a after school activity and everybody could join and blah blah blah.... She was not convinced obviously.

Now that I recalled, I did hear for myself one of her classmates' younger sister made nasty comments like :"Hey, why can't you swim in the deep pool? You are in Grade 3 now!" Though she answered casually :"Yeah... yeah... I can't swim well." But, the real fact was, she took it to heart. I realised this after.

So, I had a chat with her. I offered her two alternatives.

1. we would not go anywhere this spring break. We will engage a swimming instructor and start lesson for the next two week. Swim everyday until you are good at it, I told her. If she is able to swim by then, mom will meet up with her school teacher so as to excuse her from the after school activities. 

2. go to the after school activity when school reopens. 

Obviously, I left her with not much choice. She finally agreed to try with an instructor. The initial few days was a struggle. Another few more days, I saw some light. she has more courage. Her instructor had done a great job I must say. She even tried to challenge herself by entering the deeper end of the pool. And finally she did it! 

I was so so glad and proud of her.  

Today, after 2 weeks of intensive learning, she is able to swim finally. She could do non-stop lap swimming for free style and breaststroke. She is fine-tuning her back stroke and starting to learn butterfly now. 

Mummy and Daddy is so proud of you, girl!

Yes, let's celebrate.

Let's celebrate in Singapore this weekend. 

You deserve a good break!

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