Swim Lessons

We enrolled all 3 kids in swim lessons.  I nearly died at the cost...  But, the kids had fun and actually learned a lot this summer!  When we've done swim lessons in the past, it seems like the kids don't really learn anything.  I think that we just enrolled them a little too early.  I was impressed with all of them this year.  Jayden was placed in level 4, Ashlyn was in level 3, and Jacob was in level 1.  They all passed their levels and can move up now.  One thing we learned is that Jacob is a little fish!  He can actually swim!  I was so impressed with him and the progress he made.

We put the kids in semi-private so they only have a maximum of 3 kids in their group.  I would say that about half the time Ashlyn & Jacob had a teacher to themselves because the other kids were gone, but the other half they both had just 2 kids in their group.  I think this really helped them make progress too.

Pics of Jayden:

Jayden really learned how to kick better.  He learned to do freestyle more naturally, the backstroke, the breaststroke, and the butterfly (sort of...)

Pics of Ashlyn:

Ashlyn's best stroke is the backstroke.  They barely spent one lesson learning it because she picked it up so quickly.  They spent about half the lessons on the breaststroke.  She really struggled to get the timing of it.  But, she is able to jump in the pool and swim now and doesn't need a life jacket.

Pics of Jacob:

Raccoon eyes

Jacob has always used a lifejacket when swimming.  Curse of being a 3rd child I guess.  I just felt like I had too many kids to watch, so this was a comfort to me.  I think that's why I was so surprised by the progress he made.  He can actually swim!  It looks like a little child floundering around, but he swam by himself a few times!  One time his teacher had him out in the deep water and he was hanging on the wall.  Without the teacher watching, Jacob pushed off backwards about 4 feet and then swam back to the wall.  John and I were shocked!  We have a fish!  Jacob can also float really well.  His teacher had him floating on his back and I think Jacob could have stayed floating for a couple minutes.  (I guess this is exciting for us because Johnathan CANT float, and Jayden and Ashlyn only sort of float.)