Aurelia just sat there on the second step, in her little red and white polka dot swimsuit with Minnie Mouse on the front, arms folded and her stubborn "I don't know you. I don't have to do what you tell me to!" face.
However, once the instructor in the pool held out his hand to her in friendship, the ice was broken and she loved it.
Every exercise they did, they did TWICE! First of all they walked forwards across the width of the pool, twice. Then they walked bacwards, twice. Then sideways, then forwards again (flipping a small two-toned toy by breathing on it across the surface of the water), then walking and pushing a ball in a straight line using breast stroke, then walking and pushing the ball with the crown of their heads (so they get their faces in the water). All twice.
Then those big spaghetti floats came out and so did Aurelia's bottom lip! Not at first it has to be said. At first, she liked bobbing about with the two ends stuck under her arms! However, now they were obviously asking the children to lie back in the water and just float.
Not
A
Chance!
Aurelia doesn't know these people and certainly does not trust them to rescue her should she slide under the glassy surface of the pool. Neither does she trust them to stand behind her as a symbol of their commitment to potentially having to save her valuable, nay regal self!
Stalemate.
Aurelia has now undeniably shown them who is boss and my friends, it is not the teachers who are boss.
Uh-Oh.
It's very easy to let my little girl establish this pecking order. The trick is not to go out of your way to establish a pecking order of your own. If you don't try too hard, she doesn't feel the need to assert herself in the following ways:
1. Arguing back using reasoned and well thought out responses (albeit most of the time with 6 year old logic)
2. Screaming
3. Laughing at you when you tell her off for screaming.
And BAM! Done. You are no longer in control.
With people who don't know her, an incessant use of step 1 is employed with great effect. No need for steps 2 nor 3.
There was lots of trying and all credit to them, after plenty of gemtle coaxing, Aurelia didn't really lie back in the water but she did lift her feet off the bottom of the pool.
Then she did the kicking exercises. Brilliant!
Now for the Grande Finale of the first swimming lesson routine!
DahDahDAhDahDAdaDAAAAAAAAAAH!
Jumping in the pool! Whoopeee!
Hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe!
Eventually she did (holding on to the hands of both the instructors).
When we got home, she was so exhausted that she fell asleep on my Mum's lap! Her first nap since before she was 2 years old!
I can not wait for her lesson next Saturday! It's well worth getting out of the house by 10.30!
If you haven't already, please sponsor my friends Dee and Cera, for their 20 mile walk. They are training really hard and have sworn off alcohol until the event itself!
I'll write about some more adventures tomorrow!
Love Leo xXx
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