Swim Lessons

August brought 3 weeks of swim lessons. I had seen an article in a local interest magazine about a local woman who runs her own swim school specializing in private and semi-private lessons. She had been doing this for quite some time and had a background in swim and education. More specifically, she had a background in special education. I thought that might be helpful for Mason since he'd been diagnosed with expressive-recessive language disorder. It doesn't really seem to pose a huge issue most of the time (he appears to listen about as well as a 3 yr old!), but when it comes to the water you can't be safe enough! The first week of classes Mason had Miss Tabby teaching him (seen in the pictures). He absolutely loved her. There was one other kid in his class - a little girl who cried and screamed the entire class until the last day. The last 2 wks of class he had Miss Pat teaching him. She pushed him far harder. Mason liked her for most of the first week while the other little girl that was in this class cried and refused to do what she was told... then one day she decided to behave and Mason decided he'd throw fits and pretend he had to pee to get out of the pool! I can't say that the whole experience was a complete waste, though. I kept taking Mason to the pool and practicing with him. He slowly started to let me work on some drills with him... and I noticed that he would go off on his own and practice his skills in different ways than we'd worked with him. He refused for weeks to put his whole face in the water and blow bubbles - which makes it very difficult to get him swimming b/c his body isn't in the right position. I bribed him by taking his to Target to pick out Troublesome Trucks from Thomas (his current obsession) and told him I'd bring him back to get them when he would do "Starfish Face Down". We visited them and talked about them frequently... but he sternly refused until he made up his mind to do it one night in the bathtub. He has also started playing "swim lessons" with his ducks in the tub. He orders them to do different drills and go to the side of the pool. When his "lessons" are done he tells them "Good job! Now go get a lolly pop!" b/c he used to get a lolly pop after every class for his efforts! While I wish we could give lessons another attempt right now, I am glad to have a break from my afternoon ritual of sitting around in 100 degree heat every afternoon!