Swimming

We have a pool with a waterfall in our backyard. We do not have a fence around the pool because where the pool sits in the yard, it's just not possible. Yes, we do have a lock on our back gate so none of the neighborhood kids can just come on back when they please.

It was a big discussion while I was pregnant about the pool. What do we do? After much discussion and exchanging stories about pools in our childhood ~ our parents putting us in the pool with our clothes on to teach us how to swim and get out ~ swimming lessons is the best decision.

Before Katherine was mobile, I put her into swimming classes. She was six months old and able to pull herself out of the pool. Amazing in my eyes!

She has been in swimming classes ever since. At the end of the day, it's not my pool that I am worried about. I am think about the future... when she has a playdate at friends house with a pools and I am not there to watch. I want her to be able to get out of any pool without panicking.

Katherine is a very strong swimmer and has the skills to get herself out of the water if she were to fall in. Last week, the swim school had Safety Week. They had the parents dress the kids in long sleeve shirts, jeans, socks and shoes over their bathing suits. Oh, that was not an easy task. For all that know Katherine, she ONLY wears pink dresses. Whenever it is cold out here (yes, 50* is cold for us considering it gets to 115* in the summer), I have to bribe Katherine to wear jeans. She always has to wear a pink tutu over her pants. As Brett says, "When did she get so girly?".

So, the instructors had the kids swimming with all of their clothes on across the pool. They also had to jump into the pool and make it to the other side. Katherine did awesome!

I am so happy with our decision about swim lessons. As I have said before, I don't care what sport that Katherine does but she will be participating in a sport throughout school. Maybe it will be swimming. It is in her blood, after all. My dad did go to the Olympic trials in 1962 in swimming...