Swimmer!

The kids have been working hard on learning to swim this summer.  They are both doing great - Tyler is a champ at underwater swimming and "hold your breath" competitions, and Katie is all about cannonballs and "real" swimming "with arms."  At day camp they have to wear life jackets during pool time because they are "purple armband" campers - aka non-swimmers.  Katie has been determined, all summer, to pass the swim test and get to play sans life jacket.  She didn't pass the swim test the two times she attempted previously this summer, but the third time was the charm!  She took it today and passed and was absolutely beaming with pride.  She said that the lifeguard was very proud of her too (she took it yesterday and was told she had to use her legs more and today really worked on that to swim the length of the pool well enough to earn her "green armband" - aka SWIMMER)!

Tyler has no desire to take the test.  He is not quite there yet with the "real" swimming, anyway, but for some reason he is very reluctant to try and even discouraged Katie from her attempts, too.  He tells me that he likes having a life jacket and wanted Katie to have to wear hers too, but he told her he was proud of her today - he knows it was important to her.  I am secretly glad that this was the week for Katie to pass - there are only two days left of camp this week (and for the whole summer) and we will miss Friday which is water day.  I like them wearing life jackets, too!  I know, though, that it is a kid milestone to learn to swim, and I am so proud of Katie who really has been doing a great job trying to learn to swim and practicing every chance she gets.   I am confident that she earned the armband (the lifeguards were pretty strict on pass/fail), and I truly believe that she learned a lot from sticking with something, and having to work hard to accomplish the goal!