First Swim Lesson

Evan started swim lessons today! He has 6 30 min. classes with other 3-5 year olds to teach them how to get in and out of the water, blow bubbles and float on their fronts and backs. The basics. He loves water but both boys hate getting their face wet. So I'm hoping this will be a good introduction.

The class only has 3 kids! The instructor, (Mike) starts off having them play ring-around-the-rosie and then tells them when they fall down into the water to start blowing bubbles! Evan likes the falling down but doesn't blow bubbles. Then, without any explanation of how to hold your breath, Mike tells Evan to find the rings at the bottom of the pool and get his face wet! I'm thinking "Doesn't this guy know they are only beginners!". So far, Evan is having a blast and manages to get the rings without going under. Then he gives them noodles and tells them to start swimming around. Evan is splashing and kicking and gulping tons of water. This is not so much fun. I explained to the instructor he doesn't know how to get his face wet. He ignores me. He notices Evan's noodles slips so he twists it behind his back to secure it and then gives him a BIG shove into the water. Evan's head goes completely UNDER the water and comes up nearly gagging. He's crying, coughing and immediately wants nothing to do with swimming. I yelled at the guy "Are you trying to drown him?!!" He simply replies "Buddy that was your best attempt yet!"

To my surprise and after my coaxing, Evan goes back in and finishes the class but does not like it anymore. I immediately complained to the Rec's supervisor. She informed me that this guy was a sub filling in for the normal teacher. What a relief! Another older teacher overheard me and said she would take Evan in and teach him herself for a while. Evan reluctantly agreed. She was GREAT! She showed him how to blow bubbles, how far to go into the pool by himself, how to bounce up and down like a bunny if he's a little too deep and swim like a crocodile. Evan was smiling, having a blast and was so excited! What a blessing this woman, Mary, was!

I assured Evan that Mike will never teach his class again since he was such a bad teacher and that he will have a great new teacher next week. Thankfully he is looking forward to another class and watching his brother's first swim lesson on Saturday. Let's hope he doesn't have Mike as a teacher too!