Learning to swim

  There are times as a parent when you get glimpses into the type of person that your child will become. Sometimes you cringe, and sometimes you are super proud, and other times you just have to laugh out loud. 

  Apollo has been taking swimming lessons. Melanie has been the one to take him, so I get to hear all about it from her, but I had to take time out of at least one work day to experience it for myself. This was one of the moments when I was both very proud, and laughing hysterically out loud. 

  The goal of the "Tadpoles" class, is to teach the most basic water skills and to build up the child's confidence in the water. 

  They teach them to kick their legs, stick their faces in the water and blow bubbles,....

 go on their back and kick their legs with their arms stretched out over their heads,...

 and they even play games!     It sounds like great fun and what kid wouldn't be sucked in and then go with the flow?.....Can you say, Apollo? Yes, believe it or not, it is my son that has to do things his way. What Apollo is really learning from this class is how to express himself, negotiate, communicate, and to step outside of his "shy" bubble, and possibly even how to flirt a little.
  When the instructor changes activities, the three other kids in the class follow right along with her and copy her every move. Apollo will just sit back and watch.
 "Apollo, would you like to join us?" I heard the instructor ask.
"No thank you, I am too busy right now," he replied.
"Come on, you're missing all the fun Apollo," she said, trying to appeal to his sense of fun.
"Well, I am just going to stay here and watch."
When it came time to play rings, wouldn't you know it, Apollo had a new set of reasons to do things his own way.
The swim instructor asked, "Apollo, I am going to throw this ring into the water. Do you want to go get it for me?"
 "Ummm, I only like the blue ring, so you can have the yellow one."
  Fortunately, this instructor does not take no for an answer and always gently pulls Apollo into the mix of whatever she has the class doing.

As a technique to get all the kids to join in and get their hands in the air and to help them learn to use their arms in swimming, the instructor asks all the students to use their superpowers and put their arms in the air like they are flying. Of course all the kids but Apollo did this. When, his instructor asked Apollo why he wouldn't join in. his response was, "I don't have the flying power."

"Well, what super power do you have Apollo?" she inquired.

"I have the power of fire...it's in my legs." he replied confidently.

  I laughed for the entire 20 minutes of Apollo's swim class that I was able to attend. Not only was I impressed by my sons individuality, but I also enjoyed the fact that the other students were impressed by Apollo's "fire powers". Even the instructor coaxed Apollo multiple times by telling him, "come on Apollo, use your fire powers!"
  Later that evening, I quizzed Apollo about his lack of flying powers, and tried to remind him of his dreams; "Hey, remember all the dreams you used to have about me and you flying? That means you have flying powers!"
Once again, I was schooled by my own son, "Actually dada, I only go flying with you, and it is in the mornings, in the clouds by the mountains. The kids at the pool are only pretending to have flying powers...but they can't fly in water."
Class dismissed!