Mummy's Thoughts

My son started (again) swimming lessons this week. This isn't the first time that I tried to let him join a class. We tried before when he was still younger but he just can't get over his phobia. I still feel very guilty that he had that phobia. It feels like the time when he fell off the toboggan when he was 2.5 years old. I was the one with him. The same thing when he got to a bit deeper part of the beach when he was below 5 years old. I'm always the one who's with him whenever he gets into trouble in some physical activity. The guilt can sometimes eat me up whenever I remember those.

That is why I really don't like him trying other possible risky sports. I know, it's a bit over reacting. I try to stretch then limit sometimes and loosen up myself. He wanted to try skiing and ice skating but neither my KH nor me will go with him. Good thing, his uncle likes skiing and took him last winter. The multicultural center also gave him a chance to try out ice skating and now, swimming. Hopefully, he'll be able to finish the basic until the December session. Maybe after he got familiar with the water, we can continue the lessons together at a different location next year.

This week's experience was a bit trying one for us. Why? He really doesn't want to do it in the first place. We just pushed harder this time coz he is getting way older. He was one of the older ones when we first got there. Good thing is a classmate and another boy showed up later on. Thing is, it seemed that he is the only real beginner since the other two had already taken lessons before.

I went with him for the first half of the hour but had to go out for a class before I really saw him in the water. The pick-up time went awry because his phone didn't work. And his Dad didn't bother to look for him inside or around the entrance. He opted to wait somewhere in the area in his car. My son, on the hand, also just hang around the hotel entrance and wait. Goodness! I had to go over to the place right after my class and found the kid there to my relief. He also looked relieved and about to cry when I saw him. I'd like to believe that he is old enough to understand and get hold of his feelings now.

Fingers crossed that it won't be hard to get him to go back there next week. I may need to train him more to be street smart. We need to walk around the streets more, and be able to figure out how to work out the streets: reading a map, taking in the streets' layout, remembering the routes and landmarks, asking help, being aware of possible dangers and how to avoid these.

I've tried to teach him a couple during the time we go out for our field trips but I'm not sure if any of those stuck. Like last time when we went to Seoul, he had his nose on his ebook reader most of the time on the way there. He didn't bother to look around, figure things out and absorb his immediate surrounding. I specially noticed this when we got on the bus going to Itaewon and he was still reading. It's almost his first time to head that way (he was too young to remember when we brought him in that area years ago.) I may have to reiterate some street smart skills soon. Off to my list now!