Welcome to the first week of ASI©. You have four emails from Gwinnett Swim with your upcoming schedule; your swimmer’s required swimwear; the appropriate time to feed them before swim; and the rest of the constitution. You think you are ready for what is to come. Perhaps you already purchased both a snappy and Happy Nappy (whatever those are, right?). You arrive 15 minutes before your lesson and you're feeling like you really have your life together. Then it is time to hand little Jane Doe or Joe Smo to their instructor. The world stands still and it seems as if all eyes are on you as you rip your child from your clothing and throw them to their teacher. You may be asking yourself if you made a good choice for your child as they scream at the top of their lungs. Could it be you should have signed them up for vocal lessons? I mean, really, their range is remarkable. Why is it that other little Jane Doe got in smiling from ear-to-ear on the first day?
We are here to tell you that for 97% of you, you will have happy babies sooner than you think! We are nervous, too--new faces and fresh starts. As instructors we work hard to build a relationship with your little one; it is part of being safe and comfortable in the water. The balance of trusting your teacher, learning to save yourself in the water, and being happy is a tricky combination. Not to brag, but we are pretty good at it. Some students may take a little extra time to break-in and that is okay. Still, we must work through the skills with kindness, consistency, and love to reach a common goal: safety.
Parents, just wait until you are at week 10 watching them graduate. You have rushed to swim three times a week and finally you are able to witness the magic 30-45 minutes a week has done for your peace of mind and your child’s confidence. Keep the faith and trust the process. We love what we do and are here for you 110%. You are not alone.
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