My Two Year Old Swims!

If you don’t already know Kat, let me just give you a little background on her: she is one of the most active 2 year olds you’ve seen! And when I say active, I mean fearless, relentless, quick & sharp. Although I am very happy she took after daddy, I am also very scared lol. Daddy, is very well of his actions, a 2 year old? Not so much!

Before I had a child, I criticized parents who would put “leashes” on their kids. I would think, “she’s not a dog!” But let me tell you, dogs are more disciplined than a 2 year old. I took Kat to Disneyland for the first time last year and I purchased one to take with me and boy am I glad I did! This child wants to run like the wind every chance she gets. Have you seen her climb up the slides at kids indoor playgrounds? Lighting bolt.

Long story short, she loves the water! She loves baths, pools and the ocean. We took her to the beach in October and she would just run to the water as if she knew what she was doing. Although her excitement would make me happy, it equally scared me.

As Summer is approaching, I knew it was crucial for me to take her to swimming lessons. After much research and referrals, I decided to take her to “Swim to Selena” in Sherman Oaks, Ca. The location is at her home but don’t be confused: although very homey, she is a professional and an expert swimming instructor.

The courses are 2 weeks, 9 classes, 30 minutes a day. I was lucky she accepted Kat because she missed the first day, but you cannot miss a single class. The trick is consistency and I noticed that from coming back to class from the weekend. The goal of the class is to teach non-swimmers not only how to swim, but how to survive. God forbid they ever get pushed in the pool, fall or even jump in, how to quickly turn around and get back to the wall or a safe zone. The goal of this class is to not be afraid of the water, learn how to swim underwater holding their breath and know how to get themselves out of any dangerous situations; not to be a professional swimmer.

Kat cried/screamed the first 2 days...I swear I was crying with her lol. (Look at picture above with her trying to hide , sticking to the wall!). However, Selena said it was perfectly normal and I trusted her as she has several kids every 30 minutes like 8 hours a day! By Day 3, just as expected, she cried less. Mind you, although she was crying the first few days, she was still swimming and pushing! By the second week, the tears were gone and so was the fear. It was back to Kat loving the water and not wanting to get out! In fact, quite a few times, she would throw herself in the water off the bench when it wasn’t her turn! Remember that quick, fearless girl? Yup, she’s back! At the end, even the instructor assured me she would be that kid at a pool party jumping in the water! Although it was a hard process for me as a mom, I trusted in the structure of the class and knew I HAD to do this for Kat.

If you’re thinking about taking your child to swimming lessons, don’t think twice!!! We NEED to be proactive in the safety of our children and we NEED to take action. Don’t say, “tomorrow”, what’s more important today? If Selena is not close to your home/location, find one closer to you and book it ASAP. I hope this post was helpful! Please feel free to comment and let me know if you have any questions or concerns!