Swimming Solo

Way back in October, I posted about my Water Baby as Little Owl had just started swimming with a float belt and didn't need me to hold on to her any more.  It was a great leap forward and her excitement about going in the pool kept me motivated through the winter, even enticing me into the freezing cold pool in India!

Little Owl swimming in India

Over this time we have slowly decreased the number of floats on Little Owl's belt and introduced her to a woggle.  Eventually, we stopped using the belt, encouraging Little Owl to rely on the woggle.  She thinks its hilarious when she lets go and sinks under the water!  I have been learning not to catch her but instead making sure the woggle was within reach for her to come back up to.

I've survived the winter of cold changing rooms, cold pools and bundles and bundle of clothes to stuff into lockers and I'm feeling quite proud but here comes the best bit - Little Owl has moved into the next class and is now going into the pool WITHOUT ME!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was very nervous the first week - but it was great!  I took Little Owl to the pool side where the mums and kids were all waiting - the others were all over 3 so Little Owl did look tiny!  The lesson starts with the kids sat on the top step and it was only as I turned to walk away and heard "mummy" that I realised Little Owl wasn't used to me leaving her anywhere other than with family.  Gulp!  I had to go back through the changing rooms to join the other mums to watch the lesson.  By the time I got round there, Little Owl was happily swimming lengths with the other kids.

The swimming teacher is brilliant.  People often comment "how do you do it" when I tell them I teach teenagers, but although there is often 30 in a room, and I try to keep my eye on them all of the time, they're not going to drown if I don't!  The skill it takes for the swimming teacher to keep her eye on 6 pre-schoolers, one of which had only been in a pool a few times before, another more confident one who kept putting his feet down and walking, and Little Owl who thinks its hilarious to let go of her float and sink, is just impressive!

All of the kids had a great time, and the parents all sat together watching and clapped each of them when they took in turns to jump in and swim a little without their floats!

Can't wait for next week!