Friday, April 29, 2011

On Swimming

-Yesterday was our first Mom & Me swim lesson of the year. Lizzy loved it, even though the instructor hadn't taught this class before and didn't really know what she was doing--but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to sing kid songs and spin around the pool. Plus, I'm sure the instructor will get more comfortable as the month goes on.

- Plus, I told Justin that it's worth it to me to pay for the lessons just to get her in the water twice a week, and our local pool literally only offers one open swim a week, and it's usually packed to the gills with 9 and 10 year olds who have no regard for anyone else and think it is funny to spray Lizzy and me in the face with a squirt gun. Unfortunately, their parents don't really seem to notice or care. So, considering that we were the only people in the pool at the lesson yesterday, it's worth it for that reason alone.

-However, I do have a question or two that the instructor couldn't answer, so Emily from imperfect (or anyone else who has experience in this area), if you're reading, I'd love to know when I should stop blowing in Lizzy's face before I dunk her? When I asked the instructor, she said, "Wait, why would you blow in her face before you dunk her?" LOL.

-Good News: My swimsuit from last year is now so big that when I would bounce in the water, my bottoms would float up so much that you could see my entire butt cheek. The leg holes are SO much bigger than I need this year, which is kind of awesome.

-Bad News: This means I need to go swimsuit shopping, which I don't think has been an enjoyable experience, ever.

12 comments:

  1. do you mean at what point should you stop blowing to dunk her? or when you can stop with the blowing all together?
    kullen and i are on our second year of swim (he was 10 months last year - and 22 months this year). this year, i could probably dunk him without blowing - but i still do it just to avoid him taking in a gallon of pool water! ;] i have 'forgot' to blow a couple times this year and he has been fine but i think only because he knew it was coming!
    glad lizzie enjoyed!

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  2. It seems like all my friends with babies are getting them into swimming lessons lately and they all complain about the bad instructors. If you have to get yourself into a swimsuit, you deserve to have a good teacher! : )

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  3. Even though I was a swimming instructor for years I still did the mom and babe class for the same reason you said, it makes you go consistently and way less roudy! Also maybe it's because I'm in Canada and we just don't do that here, but I have never heard of blowing in your child's face, weird.

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  4. HAHA the idea of the bathing suit leg holes going up and exposing your cheek cracked me up. that is AWESOME though!

    ..and I definitely can't answer the face-blowing question- didn't know that was required, but it makes sense..

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  5. We've been doing swim for a long time now...about 10 weeks. We love it. The first 4 or so classes we do the cue "Eyes & bubbles" (say it loud) and then BLOW right in at the nose hard, which makes them hold in their breath. NOW, I don't have to do that at all, but we STILL use the cute "Eyes & bubbles" (so we say it), and she knows to just hold her breath & close her eyes when she goes underwater. Lol. We aren't allowed to use the word "dunk". ha. So, do you guys have any verbal cues?? also when they go in the water, we do it kind of like a roll, ear, cheek, nose, rather then FULL ON straight in their face. It gives them more time to get prepared. Its amazing how much they learn in a short time. I love my swim class, the instructors have been doing it for years and are awesome. I'm bummed your chick doesnt really know what shes doing!

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  6. So, we graduate from blowing in their face as soon as the kid can hold her breath or blow bubbles out the nose or mouth while going under. I'm sure you guys are working on bubbles - most babies can blow bubbles when asked, but in the heat of the moment they gulp water in rather than blowing it out. So just keep blowing.

    I think you'll eventually see her hold her breath when she starts to feel the dunking motion on her own and this is a good time to start graudally stopping when she starts doing it on her own, reduce the blowing to every other dunk. Then every three - once they hold their breath on their own or blow bubbles accidentally, it's not a super long time before it's just the norm for them.

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  7. Also - not sure if the instructor has you doing this, but I prefer the side to side dunk. So you would start Lizzy on one side of your body, blow or don't blow - the beauty of this dunk is that it's not the forceful down and up movement - and sweep her from one side to the other. Does this make sense? I usually don't blow in kids faces when using this dunk.

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  8. They have swim lessons going on when Jen and I swim so we hear the alligator song...over and over and over...

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  9. I haven't done swim lessons... I didn't know she was old enough. I am so looking for some classes! Thanks Mer... and hooray on the swim suit and good job 1/2 mooning everyone. You should really have fun getting a new suit.... you deserve it.

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  10. I am not sure what's worse--bathing suit shopping or jean shopping.

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  11. Hi! I'm an occasional reader and I thought I'd let you know what my experience has been nannying for twin 15 month olds in swimming lessons. Our wonderful instructor begins by having us pour cups of water over baby's shoulders, then cheeks, then ears, then head. Then we blow bubbles and do "monkey cheeks" (filling cheeks with air and shutting mouth to practice holding breath) and then we hold them by the chest and the back of the head and "dive" them into the water, forehead first. The first couple times they sputter, but they soon learn to close their eyes and mouth and put their arms straight out in front of them. It's pretty amazing how naturally it comes! Don't know if it'll help you and Lizzy, but the babies loved it!

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  12. I used to teach infant/parent swimming lessons, and this might blow your mind...but you don't have to blow in their faces. :-) When dipping a child in over their head, hold Lizzy away from your body facing you, and dip her in a "u" shape, so her head goes in first (like she's diving), then pull her up toward you to bring her out. Since the water is going to flow from the top of her head to the bottom, it won't get up her nose. Another thing that helps is to teach them to blow bubbles with their mouths and noses while dunking them underwater, so she gets used to it when she starts swimming for real (since you won't be there to blow in her face when she's 15 and rocking it on the swim team). :-) You can also check out the Red Cross website to see if they have any other pointers...which is who we went through when teaching lessons.

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