I started Mikayla in swimming lessons and her first one was last night. I was a little nervous as there wasn't really any direction. Where to meet, what to bring (besides the obvious bathing suit and towel). I went into the girl's locker room, got her changed and ready and walked out to the pool area to wait. I checked her in and we waited. We were about 20 minutes early, so about 10-15 minutes later, I was surrounded by parents and kids of all ages. It was amazing! I didn't know how they would organize this many kids and ages. They had the parents all sit upstairs at an observation deck. It was bleachers. It was really hot! We all were sweating after 5 minutes! I couldn't wait to get out of the pool area, but I so badly wanted to watch. They took the kids around and explained the rules and safety of the pool for about 10-15 minutes. Mikayla was clearly not interested nor paying attention much. The older kids were answering all the questions and understood what was being asked.
Then they separated them all and each lifeguard/teacher took 4-5 kids. Mikayla was enrolled in the "preschool" level and I overheard one of the other parents check in their son at the same level. So I was looking for Mikayla to be in the same class. When they got called into the groups, that little boy was placed with 4 other little girls and Mikayla was placed in a different group. The kids in her group were noticably bigger and I thought "she doesn't belong in that group!"
Mikayla's group all got in the water and started bobbing up and down in the water, going under and popping back up. Mikayla wasn't having that! Pretty soon the coordinator walked over and started talking to the Mikayla's teacher. They pulled her out and escorted her over to the "preschool" group. Hello! That is why I signed her up for "preschool!" She did much better over there since they were at the same level!
When we first got there and we were waiting, Mikayla looks over at the diving board in the 10 ft. of water and says to me "mommy, are the big kids going to jump off there before the little kids?" I said "oh honey, you won't be jumping off the diving board today. You are too little for that." Wouldn't you know it....they took the group to the diving board! They had one lifeguard in the water under the diving board, and one on the diving board. Each student, one at a time, was to walk to the end. The lifeguard on the board would then come up behind them, show them what to do with their hands and then pick them up and drop them into the water. They were to grab this floatation device the lifeguard in the water was holding. It was a little nerve wrecking but as soon as Mikayla hit the water, she had the biggest smile on her face! She had no problem walking the board either. The little boy got half way down the board and didn't want to go any farther!
I am going to bring my camera tomorrow when we go back. It was so cute to watch them!
