Swimming again...

I took Harry swimming on Sunday – the first time I’ve been for a couple of weeks – and was amazed at how much progress he’s made since starting lessons in September.

It sounds young – 21 months – to be having lessons, and I admit I was a bit sceptical at first. But having seen Harry on Sunday, I’ve no doubt that they’re extremely beneficial.

I took Harry to one of the lessons at Waterworld, Wrexham, a month or so ago, and it was an eye-opening experience. The half-hour sessions involve a teacher standing at the edge of the pool issuing instructions to the children and parents or guardians in the pool. There are plenty of activities, including jumping in, rolling in, dancing, singing, splashing, kicking and so on.

Now although the teacher was very friendly, she was also quite strict (as I’m sure she has to be) and I found myself on the end of a couple of sharp reprimands for not letting Harry’s head go under the water. As the teacher later explained to another cautious parent, if you show any fear, it’s only natural for the child to be scared too.

As I say, that was a few weeks ago and when I took Harry to the pool on Sunday, I was surprised at the change. He jumps in on his own, doesn’t mind his head going under water and – best of all – when he kicks hard enough, he is able to move around the pool on his own. It’s great to see him enjoying himself so much in the water.

In fact, the only downside with swimming is getting changed afterwards; keeping an adventurous toddler in the cubicle can be surprisingly tricky. However, Melissa has now developed a foolproof system to keep Harry still while she dries and dresses him – food, or crisps to be precise. After all that activity though, it’s no wonder he’s hungry – I know I am.