 |
| JJ swimming at Kings Pool in Melbourne, 5 months old |
JJ loves the water. She always has. We started swimming classes when she was 5 months old, because she just loved it so much. She was that cute but slightly annoying baby that spent the whole class splashing the biggest splashes she could make.
A couple of weeks ago, we were told she was allowed to graduate to the next swimming class, moving from Water Babies to Tadpoles. It’s a big transition, as Mr Banya or I was in the pool with her for the Water Babies classes, whereas in the Tadpoles class she would be with the teacher and 3 other kids only. And it would be with a new teacher JJ had never met before.
The staff advised us on how to make this transition easier. We were given pamphlets to read. We copiously congratulated her on her graduation. We watched another Tadpoles class so she could familiarise. We talked about how the other kids parents are not in the pool. We told her that Daddy would go in the class with her for the first lesson. All as per the recommendations.
At the pool, JJ and Mr Banya were ready to go. But at the last minute, the new teacher said Mr Banya wasn’t allowed in the pool. When Mr Banya explained it was her first class she said “Oh, I know it’s hard to let go sometimes”. WTF? How condescending. We were only doing what the staff and pamphlets had recommended. Had they told us differently we wouldn’t have prepped her that Mr Banya would go in with her. Now here Mr Banya was, feeling like he’d broken a promise to JJ, and feeling like he was being spoken down to as an over protective parent at the same time.
And JJ? She didn’t hesitate. She loves her new class and feels like such a big girl. (Except that the teacher’s condescending tone still annoys me).
Then this week, JJ was awarded Swimmer of the Month! She was given a certificate and an awesome new backpack. And dinner off The Special Plate that night to celebrate.
Go my little tadpole!
(This post is not sponsored. All opinions are my own.)