Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Swim lessons


Ty loves to go to the pool. We just knew he would love to learn to swim. We weren't sure about Charlie. She isn't easy to read when it comes to things like this...but Ty, we were sure of. He'd sail right through lessons and be the best student.

Well.

By mid-lesson on day 1 he told me he was done swimming. He didn't even want to go have fun at the pool anymore.

So that went about like we thought. Parenting is good for the self esteem. The minute I figure it out and know my kids better than they know themselves, they throw me a curve ball.

But anyway.

I pulled out my secret weapon this morning to convince him that swim lessons are our friend. I bribed him. I told him if he did what his teacher, (a friend from our church growing up,) told him I'd get him a trash truck. No, "Just obey her because it's the right thing and you need to learn to swim." None of that.

If you need sound advice, I'm your girl.

But look. The kid who woke up saying, "Hey good morning mom how'd you sleep? No more swimming for me," did this today during his lesson.




That's Amy, his teacher on the left. I've known her for twenty (or more) years. And today I've never appreciated her more.

There's Charlie in the back. She's like a young Michael Phelps.

WHO KNEW.

2 comments:

Michelle said...

Oh Mary! I am the QUEEN of bribery during a swim lesson. Last year I promised ice cream EVERYDAY if he just LISTENED to the teacher and put his legs in the pool. This year, I promised a movie on the way home, because watching a movie in the car is a rare thing and worth more than gold in his eyes. When that stopped working, I told him we could go and pick a toy from Toys R Us. He told me he didn't like toys anymore. Hmmmm, any ideas for the next bribe?

I hear Amy is amazing! Good luck!

Mary said...

Woohoo I feel better Michelle! I have no idea what I'll bribe him with next if this doesn't work! So far so good...and yes Amy is doing a fantastic job!