Haute Mom Dilemma #47 ~ We Know What's Best

I remember doing things as I child that I disliked.  Well, to be honest, some of these things I hated with a capital "H".  Going to certain lessons, places, and even select summer camps just had me filled with turmoil and anxiety. I vowed never to do the same thing to my kid when I was older.

Fast forward to the present day.  I just wrapped up Stella and my third "Parent and Me" swim class.  They start them as early as six months so I figured waiting until 1 year would pose no problems.  Stella loves the water and usually takes new things on fearlessly so I was super excited for summer to come where I could share this time with her.  We all know things don't always go as planned.

I checked out a bunch of swim schools and settled on one that had a great facility and no set times.  This meant I could go anytime I wanted, without having to commit to a specific time and day.  This was ideal for me.  The first class she seemed really excited and was loving most of it until they had us put them under water.  Nobody else seemed to mind that much except for Stella who was mad as a hornet.  To make things even better, they had us do it again...and again.  I was now "that parent" with the screaming kid in the middle

 of a lesson with four other giggling and drooling babies.  Great. 



She loves the wading pool
where she
 knows I can't dunk her. :)



I know this may seem a little harsh but the "level" for this class makes perfect sense. Ideally, the school wants the infants and toddlers to be able to go underwater, come up, and eventually turn and float on their backs.  This is the safest thing for them in case they ever (God forbid) fall into water.  Once Stella can achieve this (it may be awhile), she gets to move up.  My parents have a pool and we spend a lot of time on boats and near the water so I know that this is important which is why I chose to put Stella and all those parents with the happy water babies through more Saturdays of screaming Stella.

Today was the third lesson and she did significantly better although she is still protesting being under water, quite loudly in fact.  I realize that she may seriously hate these lessons but know that they are in her best interest and once she gets used to it, she will actually learn to love swimming.  I mean, while she screams, she does clap for herself.  That's gotta mean something, right?  It kills me to take her, knowing that she will utlimately be unhappy at some point.  If we quit now, I am afraid she will loathe the water and more importantly, not be as safe as she could be with these lessons. It is the best thing for her.  Boy, I have become my mother.