Swim class

Gabriel just completed nine swim lessons in 11 days. I was not too jazzed about this intensive method. I originally thought it might be better to take a class in which he went once a week through the whole summer. Considering we don't have anywhere to swim regularly, I was afraid he wouldn't retain anything and the whole thing would be a waste of money. But Jav's sister had told us about Mr. Bryan, and how everyone who had taken from him had nothing but really wonderful things to say about him. So we decided to give him a shot.

Well, he is more than wonderful, he's a miracle worker. After two lessons I began to realize that this man really had a knack for getting kids to have fun, and therefore lose all fear of the water. There's only two kids per class, and Gabriel's swimming buddy was Nathaniel (pictured above), who turned 3 in May and was a little wisp of a kid. By the end of the two weeks, Gabriel was swimming underwater for short distances, could jump in on his own (with alot of trepidation, but still), could touch the bottom and swim up by himself at 5 feet deep, and could float on his back really well. Nathaniel was doing even more, probably because he had already been swimming in his neighbor's pool all summer. But the best part about it was the look of pure joy on my son's face the entire time he was in the water. I don't think I've ever seen him so continually happy. So I am now a believer in Mr. Bryan. He holds the kids, makes corny jokes that they love over and over again, builds their confidence and knows how to motivate with patience and understanding. I now think the other method leaves an entire week for them to doubt their abilities, so they start every class a little nervous. We're going to have Gabriel in two back-to-back sessions next summer with Mr. Bryan (an entire month of lessons), and that boy will know how to swim afterwards. I don't have a single doubt now.