Swim Lessons - Part 1

Where to begin... deep breathing... in and out...

There are many things that you will do with your children that are hard. I have realized that over Morris' three years of life. But, there is nothing I have done yet, that compares to swim lessons. Unless you have been to the infamous Mrs. Phyllis, you can't begin to comprehend what we have been through over the past four days.

Mrs. Phyllis, best known is North Alabama as the Swim Nazi, just google it if you don't believe me, has worn Morris out both mentally and physically.

On Monday our journey began...

Morris, Miller, and Mary Carleton were so excited. They talked about the lesson all day. I hustled Morris home from school to lay him down for a quick nap. At 3pm sharp, we picked Miller and Claire up and headed to Albertville.

At 4pm, Mrs. Phyllis entered the pool and the strict lessons began. Morris in the pool. If you cry, you get another turn. When you cry the entire group says "yuck, yuck"! When you don't want to swim, your head is pushed under... when you don't want to go off the diving board, you are pushed, when you think you've had enough... there is more!

The children are in an indoor pool. The parents are outside of the pool with the curtain drawn. As a mother, I have just thrown my child into a pack of wild wolves. Not wolves, just a wolf, the swim Nazi wolf. Not only is Morris paralyzed with fear, but so am I.

After four days and four hours, I have had a migraine, Morris has had diarrhea, our entire family has felt the stress. Morris and Miller sit holding hands in fear of what is to come next.

Today at 4:30, we were allowed to watch what our children had learned. The tears flowed, but there was also great joy. After Morris was pushed off the diving board. He ran to tell me how proud he was... he had held his breath and swam under water.

These past four days have been tough... tougher than tough, but I am so proud of Morris. I can say he is on his way to becoming a swimmer.

The lessons ensue again on Monday. Wish us luck!