Starfish

Claire has been taking swim lessons regularly since she was 3 years old and we did mom and tot classes off and on before that. We take breaks in the summer, other than that we are at the pool 2 days a week all year long! I have the kids in lots of classes, and I have had people ask before if I am 'training' them for anything. Which I answer, no, I am just getting them involved with other kids, keeping them active, and trying to help them find what they are interested in. Both Warren and I both feel swimming is an important skill, for safety reasons, since we live around so much water. So while Claire has tried lots of classes, gymnastics, dancing, music, soccer, t-ball, etc, swimming has been one we consistently have her enrolled in. This week she passed from Turtle to Starfish. Here are the levels:

• Tadpole
• Seahorse
• Turtle
• Starfish
• Dolphin
• Porpoise

So she started Tadpole at 3 and passed it the first time. Then she took Seahorse and she passed that the first time. The first day of Turtle she told the teacher she wasn't ready to be in the deep water yet so we moved her back to Seahorse. She took Seahorse one more time and passed to Turtle. And that is where we have been for a while, probably 4 sessions. After 2 years, I know the teachers pretty well and I play the system. When I register her for a class I can request a teacher. There is one teacher she likes the best, he is a twenty-something guy, super sweet and lets her act pretty silly, which is great for when she is entering a new level. There is a middle aged woman, ok, she's a grandma, she is my favorite, she pushes Claire, but in a loving way. So she is requested when it's time to stop being silly and get down to business. Then there is Aaron, also twenty something, he is fun, but he is aggressive with them. She has been in lessons with Aaron for the last session and has made the most progress. So I love that there are so many different teaching styles and I can request certain ones. Sometimes they are not available and I get to see a new teacher, but overall the swim program is fantastic!

So here is what Claire had to do to move to Starfish:

• Pencil jump in 3 feet of water and return to safety
• Swim on front 10'
• Kicking with a kickboard and forward breathing
• Tall arms w/breathing every 4th stroke for 10'
• pencil jump in deep water, recover and swim 10'
• Swim on back 10' with kicking
• Swim on back with winging and kicking for 10'
• Swim 4 strokes on front and roll to back for 10'
• All above in 4-5 feet water
• Lifejacket safety, jumping in and huddling

I am just amazed when I see her swim, I think it is incredible what she can do. Starfish will take longer to pass I am sure, they move from 10' to 20' for the swimming lengths and move to deeper water and add treading water to the list.