They say that you can lead a horse to water but you can not make them drink. Fortunately, water fun was never an issue for my kids. Swimming pools and waterslides were a favorite destination back in nineteen-ninety-something for our family.
Navigating countless crowded, steamy, slippery, chlorine infused communal showers and change rooms was part of each child’s journey. And mine too! Trying to stay dry straddling benches and stuffing lockers while fully clothed and hot myself was a challenge. Carrying wet towels, multiple backpacks and belongings while trying not to think about all the athletes’ foot fungus and pink eye germs potentially surrounding us was a parent’s nightmare. In the name of good fun and parenting I persevered. My three girls had their eyes set on successfully climbing the swimming ladder of buoyant animals like otters, seals and dolphins at the local pool each summer during their young childhood.
Then once the kids were in the pool and afloat parents patiently sat down, waited and watched. No scrolling through your phone. They weren’t a thing back then. Internet accessibly was at home or work only if you had a computer. Instead, you happily read your paperback book, started a conversation with the parent beside you, entertained siblings, or maybe just enjoyed watching your little one splashing, swimming, diving and having fun playing in the water.
Kids, water and summer just go together! Following the enthusiasm currents and riding the waves of fun I made an important decision that summer day. Enjoy it while you can, Mom. Your kids are being supervised by someone else for 45 minutes and learning a life skill at the same time. Despite the possible disappointment of being stuck at dolphin and never making it to the Starfish levels I signed my kids up for another set of swimming lessons that summer. Then like a machine my wash, rinse, dry and repeat cycle continued.
It’s a good thing that nurturing affordable places like community pools and recreation centers still exist for kids to play, learn and have fun in. Thirty plus years later I’m still going to that same place! But now I’m exercising or helping out with my grandchildren as they navigate through their swimming pool adventures. Such is the circle of life. I’m still trying not to think about the athletes’ foot fungus and pink eye germs potentially surrounding us while holding a baby or drying off a wet child!
Life is going to be full of sink or swim moments. My kids were having fun and learning to swim many years ago, but I know now that they were also experiencing degrees of independence and learning how to stay afloat in the future, too! There will be many more challenges and ladders of success for kids to climb in life beyond the swimming pool and many more places for parents to become masters of waiting and watching!
Karen Boschee
Mom, Grandparent & Retired Teacher
