Swimming Course

Pool Depth: 90 cm
Charly's Height: 96,5 cm

Normally a recipe for disaster but she's doin it !

Monday 4th of June 2007 - Swimming Course starts at the local pool here in Kitzbuehel.
We go along just to see what happens and if it is at all possible due to age and height. There were at least 70 kids plus Mums all waiting for the Swim Instructors. They divided us up into groups of age and as usual our madam is the youngest and the smallest but the most determined.

Charly has a book at home about Connie and in this book Connie learns to swim at the pool and it tells you all about what she has to do and how she got a special certificate and a patch for her bathing suit. Anyway, we read this book quite a bit and when Charly heard about the swimming course at the pool there was no stopping her. On the first day they let the kids into the pool just to see how tall they were. Charly was standing on her tippie toes and there was only her head showing out of the water but they let her stay. We said we would see how it goes for a couple of lessons and then decide whether to carry on or not. The lessons are 50 min every day (4-6 June, 11-15 June and 18-22 June) and we are starting to develop fins. The Mums are not allowed to stay - what a bummer! We have to go into the restaurant (ooh ! coffee) or outside on the terrace so that the kids can concentrate. Have to admit I peer through the window every few minutes or so to see what they are up to.

It is going really well as Charly has no fear of water or getting her head under etc. At the beginning they had no swim rings on and were walking through the water practising the arm movements and then sitting on the side of the pool doing the feet movements as well. They have been in the deep end the last couple of days with swim rings on. Jumping off the diving board and even taking off one ring and swimming from the diving board to the steps. They have been swimming backwards and forwards and letting themselves just fall backwards into the pool and all sorts of things - great !!

I checked with the Swim Instructor if it was a good idea and he said it would be no problem with her as she is the cheekiest and most active in her group. Wait and see ! The sooner she learns the better really.

Our routine has gone out the window though at the moment. Normally Charly does not sleep during the day (hasn't done so on a regular basis since she was 2 years old) and now we come back from swimming at 2.30pm or so and she crashes on the couch for an hour or more ! This means she goes to bed at 9pm at night or sometimes later - great fun ! I am hanging out for the end of the course and then we will have to set things right again.

Keep you posted on development and hope to attach a few pikkies as well.

Lara xxxooo