SWIM LESSONS (4 3/4 YRS OLD)
Momma tried teaching her first swim lesson to S today after school. Before the experience, momma thought it was going to be easier, than it actually turned out. Previously, momma had a hand in S's swimming lesson, reforcing the instructions or playing games that would help with her swimming skills over the summer. But, this time it was her first lesson where S had to pay attention to momma, as instructor.
Momma found that S had lots of enthusiasm, but it was hard for her to pay attention and watch first before doing it. Momma would say, "you need to lay your body flat like a pancake. Watch me" and S would have already jumped into the water. With the city lessons, S would sit and wait for other kids turn first, so she had plenty of watch and wait time. It's very different one-on-one.
S did a great job with putting her head underwater and looking for momma's lost goggles (the only thing momma had with her that would sink). She enjoyed playing "underwater tea party" which forces her again to submerge her body and head under water.
When learning to kick, S struggled with keeping her legs straight. It's a difficult skill to learn. Momma thinks in previous swimming classes, the instructor had a hard time focusing on this since there were so many kids. When trying to kick with the kick-board with straight legs, S really struggled, but momma noticed that swimming in the (under) water, S does this more naturally and her arms naturally does the breast stroke, not free style. Momma thinks using a swim noodle will be better than a kick board for S. It gives more support to her lower body, which a kick board does not.
S also struggled to float. Momma knows that S knows how to do this, but when asked to do it for an extended time, her feet and body starts to straighten out. Floating is one of the skills momma insists on, since it is a life saving technique.
Momma had to put S in time-out once because she kept jumping on momma back (without any warning) when momma was swimming. Luckily, that didn't cause momma any harm, but she doesn't want S to do this with other kids, especially kids that aren't experienced swimmer.
Overall it was a good experience for both parties. Momma enjoyed sharing the learning experience with S. She realizes that S does better with positive constructive praise and with "games." Luckily S was in a good mood and took momma's criticism well and enjoyed swimming together.
Momma tried teaching her first swim lesson to S today after school. Before the experience, momma thought it was going to be easier, than it actually turned out. Previously, momma had a hand in S's swimming lesson, reforcing the instructions or playing games that would help with her swimming skills over the summer. But, this time it was her first lesson where S had to pay attention to momma, as instructor.
Momma found that S had lots of enthusiasm, but it was hard for her to pay attention and watch first before doing it. Momma would say, "you need to lay your body flat like a pancake. Watch me" and S would have already jumped into the water. With the city lessons, S would sit and wait for other kids turn first, so she had plenty of watch and wait time. It's very different one-on-one.
S did a great job with putting her head underwater and looking for momma's lost goggles (the only thing momma had with her that would sink). She enjoyed playing "underwater tea party" which forces her again to submerge her body and head under water.
When learning to kick, S struggled with keeping her legs straight. It's a difficult skill to learn. Momma thinks in previous swimming classes, the instructor had a hard time focusing on this since there were so many kids. When trying to kick with the kick-board with straight legs, S really struggled, but momma noticed that swimming in the (under) water, S does this more naturally and her arms naturally does the breast stroke, not free style. Momma thinks using a swim noodle will be better than a kick board for S. It gives more support to her lower body, which a kick board does not.
S also struggled to float. Momma knows that S knows how to do this, but when asked to do it for an extended time, her feet and body starts to straighten out. Floating is one of the skills momma insists on, since it is a life saving technique.
Momma had to put S in time-out once because she kept jumping on momma back (without any warning) when momma was swimming. Luckily, that didn't cause momma any harm, but she doesn't want S to do this with other kids, especially kids that aren't experienced swimmer.
Overall it was a good experience for both parties. Momma enjoyed sharing the learning experience with S. She realizes that S does better with positive constructive praise and with "games." Luckily S was in a good mood and took momma's criticism well and enjoyed swimming together.
posted by Spunkerella @ 8:40 PM
1 Comments:
Tien said...
Way to go Mommy and S! BTW, I was never able to float until I had babies. I guess my body fat got redistributed somehow.
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