Tuesday, day 64

Today was a busy day at the hospital, but when I got home we got to go to the pool. I was excited, because last Thursday Jonathan decided he wanted to learn to swim by joining the swim team.  He did such a great job on his first day and was so excited about practice today. 

Funny, somehow he didn't want to listen or follow instructions today. With me or anyone else.  The coach was a no show at practice and there was only one helper for the 4 year olds.  Basically it was a huge waste of time before he ever got started. Then he realized, "I don't actually have to swim or listen.  I can just float and she will carry me through the water to the wall."  That is NOT what I was interested in watching while I was sweating buckets in the sun.  Plus, there were other kids watching him take his sweet time, waiting for their turn.  Time to get out!

I had to take a minute and step back.  I have promised myself and asked God to keep me true to this promise.  I WILL NOT BE THAT MOTHER!  You know the mother that forces her children to do sports they don't want to do.  The mother that takes all of the fun out of every activity by making it a competition or never accepting that her child just doesn't want to.  I want my kids to try new things and not be a quitter, but if they don't like it, fine.  If they don't want to go to practice, then they don't play.  Plus, I am NOT going to over schedule.  I heard one mom friend of mine say her kids were comitted to one sport or activity per semester.  I think that is a great idea.  We will see how that works.

So back to today:  He said he wanted to keep swimming when I asked him to get out of the pool.  He was so busy playing with a leaf that was floating in the pool he wasn't kicking or doing anything.  I told him that he had don't well today, but that other kids wanted to swim too and if he didn't feel like following instructions and actually swimming today, we were going to do something else.  He was about to cry, but I told him to swim or get out and we would have icecream.  He agreed and we went to the Belmont Soda Shoppe for a milkshake.  God gave us the MOST beautiful day to enjoy the park before we melt later this week.  It was perfect! 

Hopefully I haven't discouraged Jonathan, but if he doesn't want to swim, he doesn't have to.  We will see.