The brat, much to the dismay of his swimming champion father, has been mortally terrified of water. So much so that when he was little, washing his head would ensure that banshees would quail at the amount of shrieking that ensued when water was poured on his head. And then, the father in a sink or swim moment threw the barely two year old into a swimming pool to get him to learn to like the water. The brat never quite recovered from the shock of impact, and would shiver knockkneed when confronted with the prospect of getting into water.
Every holiday, the pater would take him into the swimming pool at whatever hotel one was at, and he would shriek and yell and wriggle out of his clutches and run off to the kiddy pool, belligerent about not getting his head under the water or letting his feet get off the floor.
Ergo, when he was assigned swimming in school this year, we thought, yes, now he would learn.The fear of the water would be erased. But each term came and went and he was still cycling in water holding the rod and with the float tied firmly on. His grades for swimming came back with a shameful 'U'. This summer, therefore, was mandated as the summer in which the brat would learn swimming.
He was enrolled in swimming camp, timed in such a way that he would need to attend swimming camp if he wanted to attend the karate camp he had set his heart on. Cmon. He is now the zillionth incarnation of Bruce Lee. Never mind if Bruce Lee is Kung Fu.
So we have the swimming camp going on for one week. Pappa is taking a keen personal interest in the coaching and strides all around the pool, thankfully not being permitted to get into the pool, demonstrating action, movements and generally superseding the coaches, who defer to his medals and his knowledge of the sport, with little grace.
The brat is now actually swimming, a rough dog paddle, and has garnered up enough nerve to get into the deep without a float or a coach right next to him. He actually did two laps of the pool today without a float. Deep end to shallow end. To me, that's his equivalent of scaling Mount Everest. The father, I must say, is walking around like a rooster, puffed with the pride that his son has learnt to swim (in dog paddle style no less) within a week.
As for mamma, all she wants is for the brat to learn the life skill. Without screaming the suburb down.
Every holiday, the pater would take him into the swimming pool at whatever hotel one was at, and he would shriek and yell and wriggle out of his clutches and run off to the kiddy pool, belligerent about not getting his head under the water or letting his feet get off the floor.
Ergo, when he was assigned swimming in school this year, we thought, yes, now he would learn.The fear of the water would be erased. But each term came and went and he was still cycling in water holding the rod and with the float tied firmly on. His grades for swimming came back with a shameful 'U'. This summer, therefore, was mandated as the summer in which the brat would learn swimming.
He was enrolled in swimming camp, timed in such a way that he would need to attend swimming camp if he wanted to attend the karate camp he had set his heart on. Cmon. He is now the zillionth incarnation of Bruce Lee. Never mind if Bruce Lee is Kung Fu.
So we have the swimming camp going on for one week. Pappa is taking a keen personal interest in the coaching and strides all around the pool, thankfully not being permitted to get into the pool, demonstrating action, movements and generally superseding the coaches, who defer to his medals and his knowledge of the sport, with little grace.
The brat is now actually swimming, a rough dog paddle, and has garnered up enough nerve to get into the deep without a float or a coach right next to him. He actually did two laps of the pool today without a float. Deep end to shallow end. To me, that's his equivalent of scaling Mount Everest. The father, I must say, is walking around like a rooster, puffed with the pride that his son has learnt to swim (in dog paddle style no less) within a week.
As for mamma, all she wants is for the brat to learn the life skill. Without screaming the suburb down.
7 opinions:
thank you thank you thank you brat and Kiran for this post..R is going to be three and she is exactly like Krish..hates the sight of the pool while RD is trying hard..very hard to make her learn swimming...so six is the right age na..lemme just go and show him this post :) oh and all the best Brat :)
Important life skill to have. All my four of mine are currently in classes. Mon-Wed 1 hour in the evening routine.. I love watching the youngest 2 in the class. :)
And I think my heart swelled with pride when I saw the oldest on the diving board
Way to go brat! Do you swim as well? Then all of you can go swimming together!
I am waiting for the day when all three of us can go swimming together. As of now the swimmer count in the family is 0/3. So splashing and floating it is. :)
Great job Kiran. Am glad he is finally taking to it. In my family, I was the only one who used to enjoy it until my lil N came along. She loves splashing and kicking around in the pool and next year I plan to seriously coach her either myself or professionally.
such an important skill to have...congratulations to the brat!
note to self: get them kids to the pool...soon!
Congrats on da acheivement Kiran. Kudos to you for keeping the patience and not letting the lid fly off! Great going Krish!
R's Mom: And all the best to you too!
sraikh:Aww thats a proud mommy moment.
BlinkandMiss: I dont swim. Am terrified of water, I just look decorative in the pool.
Divs: Do it, the earlier they learn the better.
Sukanya: You must!
Priya: Thanks a ton, more than me its the pater.
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