I finally caved, coughed up the dough, and enrolled Karsten in swim lessons. I have to admit that I was a little nervous for Karst’, he does not enjoy the water and would rather just sit and watch all the other kids half drown. I picked this picture because it looks like he is checking out his guns.
It was at a public pool with 50 other kids running around, shivering, crying, screaming... but I had expected this and was just grateful they were not all in the same class. Today was the first of eight lessons for Karsten and because the weather was so cool only 2 kids showed up in his class... I was thinking "this was sort of like a private lesson without the cost". Then it all began.
Karsten went in the 2ft pool with his swim teacher, while the other parents were saying some encouraging words to their son. I guess I decided that my kid looked comfortable and safe enough, so I turned to look for a spot for Taeg' and I to sit and watch that wasn't wet. Of course once Taeg' realized that I had no intentions of entering the pool, she started stripping off clothes as fast as she could and headed for Karsten, by then I realized Taeg' wasn't around me and I reached out and grabbed her just as she went to step off the edge of the pool. After I pulled her back, I determined that sitting wasn't an option so I picked her up and turned to look for Karsten. When I turned toward the pool a woman got right in my face and said "why is she only paying attention to your kid?, there are 2 kids in the class". I stepped back a few feet to get her out of my face, looked to find Karsten and the swim teacher hopping up and down across the pool talking about how it is fun to warm up. The lady’s boy was sitting on the stairs hanging onto the pole; I just shrugged and said “yeah I guess she is”. So I decided to pay more attention to the pool and fix this injustice to poor Evan. The rest of the lesson went like this:
Teacher: “Ok we are going to blow bubbles”
Karsten: “Ok, I do that like 100 times”
Teacher: (walks over to Evan) “Evan would you like to blow bubbles with us, you need to get off the stairs and come down” (reaching out for his hand, Evan doesn’t look at her or acknowledge her presence in anyway) “Ok then. Evan, lets watch Karsten blow bubbles”.
…Evan’s mom continued pacing around mumbling about how crummy this teacher was…
Karsten: “No way, I am done blowing bubbles.”
Me: “Karsten, listen to your teacher and blow bubbles.”
…More bubble blowing…
Teacher: “Ok now lets hang onto the wall and kick and see who can make the biggest splash”
Karsten: “Ok, if you say so.”
Evan: Still sitting on the stairs, playing in the water, kicking, and ignoring the teacher
Teacher: “Evan, come down the stairs and kick with Karsten…. Ok we will watch Karsten kick.”
…Evan’s mom continued pacing around mumbling…
Karsten: “No way, I am done kicking”
Me: “Karsten, listen to your teacher and kick.”
Karsten: “Ok Mom.”
They then tried to do Dolphin kicks, marshmallow stick bobs, and other swimming terms I had now ideas about. By the end of it all Evan finally decided to stand in the water and she got him across the pool hopping.
Through it all, I was thinking, “Woman this teacher doesn’t even look old enough to drive a car by herself, let alone have training in kid psychology.” Get your own kid in the water, because if I paid good money and Karsten sat on the edge just being bratty then… well I wouldn’t be mad at the teacher.
Karsten said he liked it; he listened as best he could, he thanked the teacher and we went on our way… planning to return tomorrow.
I guess I learned… You get what you pay for. Maybe next time I will pay for private lessons just so I don’t have to be around parents. Parents are weirdos.
____
Travis adds: When little Evan takes gold in "marshmallow stick bobbing" some day, maybe he'll be able to buy all the Prozac his mother needs.
5 comments:
Ahh the days of swim lessons.. "jump in he pool the water will warm up" (yeah right) Sounds like the other parent didn't have any idea who she was messing with! Can't wait for another update~
swim lessons are so fun ;) we did lessons with 3 of our 4. as long as tanner couldnt see me then he was fine. they did really good for the most part. i see swim lessons in my future summers for many years to come. great job mom!
Yeah for swim lessons! I, too, want to know what marshmallow bobs are. What a polite little boy you have. I wonder what parents on the grass hill were saying about me when I taught. I had no idea! And I've seen a zillion kiddos like Evan. Anyway, that was really fun to read and I wish I could be there!
Love it. Parents are wierdos. I always feel sorry for the kids. I am totally of the, "If I paid for it, you are doing it", parenting world. Luckily though my girls have all been crazy about the water. Plus they suck up a lot to the teachers. Good luck with all 8 sessions.
Parents are wierdos. I always feel sorry for the kids. Sometimes even mine. I am totally of the, "Sorry we paid for it you are doing it". However, swimming is a life skill, sorry its a necessity. Luckily my girls love love the water. Plus they really like to suck up to teachers. Have fun for the remaining 7 lessons.
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