The Boys' New Swim Classes

Sunday mornings are very busy for us now. All three kids are in swim class. Kevin's class is first at 9 AM, then Ryan at 9:30, and Andrea at 10 AM. Kevin and Ryan are having new swim experiences this fall. For Kevin, this is his first swim class without a parent: just with a teacher and 5 other kids. He's in Preschool 1. For Ryan, this is his first time in any swim class. He's in Parent and Tot 1. Andrea is in Preschool 3. At our second week of swim class, I was able to get some pictures of the boys in their classes. However, I couldn't get any pictures of Andrea because by the time her class started, I was busy chasing Kevin around!

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Kevin's Class
I pity Kevin's teacher. The poor guy has quite a group. Out of the 5 kids, one is always off doing her own thing, two little girls refuse to swim without their mom/a female assistant, and the two boys were pretty good the first week. However, from the second week on, Kevin has cried and demanded Daddy's presence nearby for about the first half of the class. Then, he calms down and goes along with the teacher, but he still seems a bit nervous. I think the only reason Kevin tolerates swim class is he gets to go to the park outside while the other two are in their classes! Kevin is okay in the water; I think it's more that he's the shyest of our kids, and takes awhile to warm up to new situations.

Here's Kevin's teacher helping him practice swimming on his belly with a noodle.


This is Kevin's group, from a distance. Kevin is standing by the teacher.

Kevin was good while he practiced swimming in a life jacket.

The teacher got him to jump in one time, holding his hands.

Kevin wouldn't budge the second time, but the teacher was very patient.

Kevin ran out to see Daddy as soon as his class was done. By that time, Daddy and Ryan were ready for Ryan's class. Kevin was grinning because he was happy to be done and be close to Daddy (but the picture's a bit blurry).

Ryan's Class
Ryan's class isn't at the best time for him. It's right when he usually has a nap. This means that we don't get too many smiles during swim class; he usually looks serious/tired. However, he's pretty good in the water. He only cried a bit the first week when Daddy took him into the pool the first time. He usually saves his crying for the dressing room after class because he's exhausted by then, and he never likes getting undressed/dressed. He usually loves bath time at home now; he likes to lay down in the water and kick and splash. Really, I think it's just the timing that makes him kind of unmotivated during swim class. Daddy says he's actually doing well with kicking in the water and having water on his face.

Here, Daddy's showing Ryan how to blow bubbles. Ryan will put his face in the water, but he hasn't caught on to making the bubbles yet.

I think Ryan was supposed to be swimming on his belly, but he wanted to play with Daddy's face. (This baby can do some serious pinching of the nose and ears! Also, watch for any loose hair or skin!)


Daddy and Ryan are singing/doing the actions to "Alice the Camel." Ryan likes it when they do the bobbing up and down part, but I kept missing his smiles.

I was impressed by how well Ryan tolerated water being poured over his head and face. He wasn't thrilled (note the look of consternation in the first photo), but he didn't cry at all. He almost smiled a bit the second time around.

Ryan was good about the life jacket, too. I think he was a bit confused by the sudden, extra buoyancy, but Daddy was there to reassure him.


Then he got to the relaxing back-float-with-life-jacket-on, and enjoyed the ride.

Daddy helped Ryan do a few "jumps" into the water with the life jacket on. Ryan didn't really have a reaction. By this point, he seems to be resigned: "Do with me what you will."


However, he did perk up at the end of swim class when they took the babies to play in the shallow water. The babies were reaching down to grab and pick up rings. I think Ryan likes this part best because it reminds him of playing in the bathtub.

Andrea's Class

Like I mentioned, I haven't seen much of Andrea's class because I'm usually busy chasing wild Kevin or soothing exhausted Ryan. She seems to be enjoying it. Daddy says she is very brave and does everything the teacher asks of her. Actually, she has the same teacher as Kevin, and she says he is "nice . . . for a boy." ;)