Saturday, May 10, 2008

Water fears

When Sterling was 2 years old he went to his first swim lesson. He didn't really like it, but didn't seem to hate it either. The next year we tried again. This time around though, he screamed every single day, for 2 weeks. He seemed genuinely scared of the water. It was frustrating for me to watch. Here I was at swimming lessons, I spent $50 for 2 weeks of swimming, and he just flat-out refused. So last year I gave it a brake. No swimming lessons. Although Winter had been asking for it, I just wasn't up to it.
Now we live in a house with a pool. I keep thinking that one day he'll just get used to the water and start swimming. So far it's either very slow-going, or not going at all. He'll get in the water, at the edge and play, but he will not put his face in the water. I don't know whether to push him, or leave it alone. On the one had I want him to have fun, but on the other hand I also realize how important it is for him to learn how to swim.
The funny thing is, that his problem with water isn't just restricted to the pool. He hates taking showers too. After I wash his hair, he just hates rinsing it out. When he washes his face, he uses minimal amounts of water.
Maybe I'm silly to even think about this as a problem. He'll probably just grow out of it, right?

1 comment:

angela michelle said...

Logan refused to get in the water for a whole summer's worth of swim lessons one year--and we were in Mesa, Arizona, so it was like 110 degrees! I made a big poster showing Logan in the water with a smile on his face, and then showing our family doing to McDonald's for ice cream--that would be the reward--but he never touched the water. *sigh*

Share buttons