Addy has two goals this summer. Learn to swim and learn to ride a bike. Swimming has been a bit difficult since she is scared to death to swim with a life jacket, noodle, or any type of flotation device that is not her Mom or Dad.
Most of her pool time has been spent holding onto the side or playing on the stairs.
I decided it was time to implement some tough love or Addy would never learn to swim. I put her life jacket on her and we swam out to the middle of the pool. I then let go of her for a couple seconds, mind you she had a life jacket on, and she would scream on the top of her lungs... yes it was quite a scene. Then when I would grab her she would laugh so I knew I wasn't traumatizing her too bad. I continued this torturous activity for several minutes. Addy would scream then laugh, scream then laugh, and so on. It took about two days of torture then I tried a new technique... I told her there was a magic fairy on the side of the pool watching her swim. She needed to swim to the wall to get her three wishes... I gave her a little push and she kicked her way to the wall. We played this game for several minutes and all of a sudden she was swimming independently (with her life jacket).
Swim Addy Swim!
P.S. Addy started formal swimming lessons this week and has loved every minute of it.
Now, we need to work on goal #2- riding a bike with training wheels.
2 comments:
OH how I love your creativity! Way to go Addy...but even more way to go MOMMY!
Way to use those convincing skills Terry! You really are the master.
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