Facing my fears - water
Filed under:
Family
When Monkey was born I was determined that he would not be afraid of water ……
I have been afraid of water for as long as I can remember, not in all
forms I must add. I can actually drink a glass of water and have a
bath, but I have issues!!
Before I was 26 I couldn’t swim, having a shower was a total trauma
if the shower head was fixed, froze halfway across some stepping-stones
which crossed the shallowest stream in the Lake District you have ever
seen, was petrified of boat trips on exotic foreign holidays and on and
on the list went – I drove my ex-husband mad on many occasions with my
total dread of H2O. I did however manage an undersea walk in Mauritius,
to this day I have absolutely no idea how I did it – I have never been
so scared in all my life.
When I was 26, as part of a personal development course at work I
learnt to swim and got my 10 metre certificate – you have no idea what
an achievement that was, especially as I had to sit on the bottom of the
swimming pool! It is still one of my most treasured possessions. I
wanted to be able to snorkel in the Maldives later that year, sadly I
didn’t manage that – a bit like learning to drive – too many things to
think of at once – lol.
I still don’t like standing under a shower and would really struggle
to put my face in the water, but we’ve made progress. However, when my
son was born, it had been a number of years since I’d been in any sort
of swimming pool so a lot of the anxieties had returned.
I really didn’t want Monkey to have any of my fears and wanted him to
enjoy swimming as he grew up. He was a big baby so I was very
concerned about being in the pool with him and keeping him safe, as well
as myself. One of my NCT Mum’s was so brilliant with me and my
‘issues’, (she’s a pediatric physiotherapist and is used to being in a
pool with young children) she came along to our local pool with us and
her son and spent time with us; giving me the skills to be confident in
the water with my son as a starting point. I owe her a lot
Once I realised I could actually be in a toddler pool without either
of us drowning in minutes; and saw how much Monkey LOVED the water I
decided to take the metaphoric plunge and sign us up for baby/toddler
swimming lessons.
We started this time last year, although Monkey loved the water he
wasn’t so keen on a structure to our water play to start with, and tried
to strangle me for most of the first few lessons. But we stuck with
it, I’m as stubborn as them come! Slowly, it all started to come
together and he was doing really well. I had to explain to the teachers
that Monkey might be able to blow bubbles in the water but I’m NEVER
going to be able to! But they have been fantastic at helping both of us
on our journey.
Sadly, at the end of last year there was a large maintenance issue
with the toddler pool, which is still not resolved as I type so he’s had
no lessons since. That was until this week…..
All this week we are having half hour lessons in the ‘big pool’. I
was full of dread on Tuesday morning, getting in an adult swimming pool
by myself would be a task, getting in with Monkey was on a whole
different level. Luckily the teacher knew both of us, and as it
happened we were the only ones who signed up for the course – so one on
one lesson, which gave both of us the chance to get used to our new
environment.
Day 2 – I wouldn’t say I love water, but I’m dealing with it and
Monkey is doing so well, and is so confident in the water – he puts me
to shame
I have been afraid of water for as long as I can remember, not in all
forms I must add. I can actually drink a glass of water and have a
bath, but I have issues!!
Before I was 26 I couldn’t swim, having a shower was a total trauma
if the shower head was fixed, froze halfway across some stepping-stones
which crossed the shallowest stream in the Lake District you have ever
seen, was petrified of boat trips on exotic foreign holidays and on and
on the list went – I drove my ex-husband mad on many occasions with my
total dread of H2O. I did however manage an undersea walk in Mauritius,
to this day I have absolutely no idea how I did it – I have never been
so scared in all my life.
When I was 26, as part of a personal development course at work I
learnt to swim and got my 10 metre certificate – you have no idea what
an achievement that was, especially as I had to sit on the bottom of the
swimming pool! It is still one of my most treasured possessions. I
wanted to be able to snorkel in the Maldives later that year, sadly I
didn’t manage that – a bit like learning to drive – too many things to
think of at once – lol.
I still don’t like standing under a shower and would really struggle
to put my face in the water, but we’ve made progress. However, when my
son was born, it had been a number of years since I’d been in any sort
of swimming pool so a lot of the anxieties had returned.
I really didn’t want Monkey to have any of my fears and wanted him to
enjoy swimming as he grew up. He was a big baby so I was very
concerned about being in the pool with him and keeping him safe, as well
as myself. One of my NCT Mum’s was so brilliant with me and my
‘issues’, (she’s a pediatric physiotherapist and is used to being in a
pool with young children) she came along to our local pool with us and
her son and spent time with us; giving me the skills to be confident in
the water with my son as a starting point. I owe her a lot
Once I realised I could actually be in a toddler pool without either
of us drowning in minutes; and saw how much Monkey LOVED the water I
decided to take the metaphoric plunge and sign us up for baby/toddler
swimming lessons.
We started this time last year, although Monkey loved the water he
wasn’t so keen on a structure to our water play to start with, and tried
to strangle me for most of the first few lessons. But we stuck with
it, I’m as stubborn as them come! Slowly, it all started to come
together and he was doing really well. I had to explain to the teachers
that Monkey might be able to blow bubbles in the water but I’m NEVER
going to be able to! But they have been fantastic at helping both of us
on our journey.
Sadly, at the end of last year there was a large maintenance issue
with the toddler pool, which is still not resolved as I type so he’s had
no lessons since. That was until this week…..
All this week we are having half hour lessons in the ‘big pool’. I
was full of dread on Tuesday morning, getting in an adult swimming pool
by myself would be a task, getting in with Monkey was on a whole
different level. Luckily the teacher knew both of us, and as it
happened we were the only ones who signed up for the course – so one on
one lesson, which gave both of us the chance to get used to our new
environment.
Day 2 – I wouldn’t say I love water, but I’m dealing with it and
Monkey is doing so well, and is so confident in the water – he puts me
to shame
