If you have been reading along with the rest of the class, you will notice that last week Lucille and I had an over the top reaction to a new summer camp/activity. I could blame her reaction on her. She is the one that had if after all. The truth is though, that she may or may not have been reacting to my getting really excited about the class and making a big deal about it for weeks on end. Or it could have been all her fault… but I am learning things, I am a learner. This week, finally, and possibly forever, I have learned that the way to introduce new situations to Miss. Lucille is to act like nothing is happening, nothing new, nothing exotic, just regular old nothing. Kind of a Jedi mind trick for the summer camp set.
I first introduced Lucy to swimming lessons when she was a wee babe. It was the dead of winter and I signed us up for a class at the community center pool. I then spent four weeks changing a crying toddler into a little polka dot swimmy suit. After which we would climb into the pool where she would do an impression of that Smokey the Bear poster with the bear cub climbing the tree to avoid the flames licking at its furry behind. I would end class with little half moons scratched into my arms and forehead. By the time my wounds had healed enough to consider running at the swimming lesson windmill again, I was pregnant with Tennessee and had all of the energy and resolve of a bean bag chair.
This summer, this one right now, I am large and in charge. I enrolled both kids in two sessions of swimming lessons at Grant Pool. That is four whole weeks of swimming lessons five days a week. On the first day of class, (which I failed to mention before hand) I packed some snacks and some sunscreen, and got them in the car and casually noted that we were headed to the pool. I didn’t make a big deal about it. I didn’t drive past the school or mention first grade (see last week’s post in regard to circus camp). I hopped out of the car and strolled into the pool and handed the kids over to two lovely bathing suited teenage girls. Then I went to the opposite side of the pool and found some shade, opened a book and pretended to ignore the children completely.
Both kids put their faces in the water. Both kids had a great time and wanted to go back. Tennessee told me, after his class with his foggy goggles akimbo that he “loooooveth” his teacher. No crying, no scratched up face and neck, and I didn’t have to wear a bathing suit in public. Success!
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