My Little Fishies

The kiddos finished a two week course of swim lessons this past week. Natalie needed some serious refreshing and basic skills help and this was Will's first experience with swim lessons. They both did awesome and grew so much more comfortable in the water during the two weeks. They took their lessons at an indoor facility in Plano...Emler Swim School. I would HIGHLY recommend it to anyone! They are huge believers in positive reinforcement...lots of praise and rewards. Natalie was in a class with two other girls. She was "chatty-patty" the whole time! She started wearing goggles because one of the other girls did...now, when we go to the pool, she has to have them.

Below is a picture of Natalie and her instructor, Mr. Devon. She started out with Ms. Tracey, but she left after one week due to illness. They were both wonderful and Natalie seemed to really respond to both! By the end of her two weeks, Natalie could swim (head under) one length of the pool, float on her back, and do the doggie paddle one length of the pool. This is fabulous progress considering she really didn't like to put her face in at the start of the two weeks!

This is Will with his instructor, Mr. John. Will cried the whole first week. He would go to class and participate, but he whined the whole time and didn't seem to be enjoying himself. Then, the next Monday we went in, he started to do great...he seemed to be having fun and he was anxious to go and get in the water! Mr John said Will probably realized that he wasn't going to let anything bad happen to him (trust factor) and then he was able to relax and enjoy himself.

By the end of the two weeks, will could go about 8 or so seconds under the water holding his breath, he could get up and down out of the pool by himself (crucial), and he could do a 5-second "rough" swim under the water (with the instructor guiding his head).

"WE DID IT!" This is a picture of the kiddos celebrating their last day. They were so excited because they got a t-shirt and a ribbon for completing their class! Will asked if we could celebrate with lunch at "Taco Bana"...that would be Taco Cabana. Mommy and Daddy never say no to Taco Cabana...so off we went!