Jump, Dive, and Wail

The swimming lessons finally paid off! Brooklyn took a jump off the diving board for the first time last week. It only took 45 minutes to convince her. She was afraid...
1. She'd get chlorine in her eyes.
This coming from the girl that dives for rings sans goggles.
2. It was too high.
But not as high as jumping off the monkey bars-which she does regularly!
3. It was too deep.
It was no more over her head than the deep water she was jumping in off the side of the pool.
She was just plain scared and there was NO convincing her. She'd go to the edge of the board and freak out. Finally, the lifeguard offered to catch her. She couldn't get off the board fast enough! She jumped into the arms of the waiting lifeguard then swam to the side with a huge grin on her face. She jumped one more time to him, then asked him to "Go away, please." After that, I couldn't tear her away from the diving board. One more fear, conquered!





Xavier watched with envy as Brooklyn and her friends went off the board. He wanted to go off too! I told him that he had to swim without a floatie in order to be in the deep end. He insisted he could. Finally, I handed Isaac off to a friend and said, "prove it!" I am eating my words. He jumped off the side of the pool and swam about 30 feet without help. I took him over to to lifeguard so he could prove he could swim. He did it again! He marched up to the diving board, walked out to the edge, and chickened out. Next year, I'm sure he'll be joining his sister. What a great way to end summer vacation!