Deep end...

...the boys have been doing great with swimming this summer. Matthew started with his residual fear of "drowning" and I was worried that he would again go through and refuse the swimming lessons that are given at the daycare. Riley finished last year with a pretty good "doggie paddle" and not fear of going under...so I knew he would "get" it this year. And he did...the first time out, he was spending half of the time under the water and...well, it doesn't hurt that he grew almost 1/2 a foot or more and he can stand easily in the shallow end of the pool. By the time the first week of summer camp was over, he had taken and passed the "middle test" (swim the short length of the pool) for the daycare (allowing him to go in the 5 foot section) and was planning on taking the "deep end test"(swim one long length of the pool and then tread water for 1 minute)...which he did the next monday. Matthew was feeling very left out and he pushed himself to get over his fear and by the second week, he had passed the middle test but he was still uncomfortable because he can barely stand in the 3 & 1/2 foot section and he spent the next weekend wavering back and forth between..."I think I'll take the deep end test" to..."Mom, I don't need to take the deep end test do I?"...So, last weekend, he tells me that he passed the deep end test. I couldn't believe that he had but didn't want to argue so just said...oh wow. Riley said repeatedly that Matthew had not passed and was pretty vehement about it but...when I got in on Monday am, Matthew's teacher said that she was soooooo proud of him because he had passed the deep end test! She said...

...he did the entire thing doing the "doggie paddle" but he made it so all of the life guards were soooo happy for him that they passed him! They are keeping an especially good eye on him when he is there and they aren't allowing him to be there when there are > 2 classes and a lot of bigger kids but...he doesn't care. He even went on the diving board at our neighborhood pool into the deep end!