Swim Lessons - Take Two

Last year we enrolled Owen in swim lessons. And he refused to get in the pool about five out of the nine lesson days. Sound familiar? Not what I'd call a success. But a year passed, and he had become much more confident in our pool. So we decided to sign him up for swim lessons again this summer. He was so excited to get in the pool and show off his new skills. He talked about it and looked forward to it for weeks.

When the first day of class arrived, all that excitement and confidence went out the door. And the lesson went a bit like this.

By day three we had graduated to this:

And day four found us talking with the instructor and swim manager about how to get him in the pool. Should I get in with him? Should we re-enroll for a different session? Did I want a refund? I didn't know what to say. And when I told them that we actually had a pool at our house; that he is completely comfortable in the water. Well, they had nothing else to say.

Then...amazingly...with five minutes of class left...Owen decided he was ready to get in the pool. And days five through eight he swam like a champ. Wouldn't stay on the wall. Swam and swam. Didn't want to get out.

On the last day of class his swim instructor couldn't be there, so there was a substitute. And wouldn't you know. Owen refused to get in the pool.

In the end, with a 44 percent participation rate, he completed all the requirements to move up to the next level. A success? I say yes.
In true Owen style.