Scott's Activities

Scott gets really cold in the water. He is just like me and I remember what it was like to get so cold. This summer he did a handful of swimming lessons with a girl from the ward. She is awesome, but it wasn't that much fun for Scott because it was too cold. It didn't help that we had one of the coldest summers I ever remember.

Well, I started a little group lesson for swimmers that are comfortable in the water but not able to really swim yet and Scott is in it. He listens well and tries, but it is cold and he gets cold. He made it through the first three lessons and made it through 10 minutes of the one on Monday.

We'll see if he wants to go today. I let him choose if he wants to go and he is choosing to go for the first time which shows he is growing up. Last year he didn't want to do anything and now he talks about his friends and wanting to go to swimming. He comes home and tells everyone about his swimming. The water is about 80 and it has been really warm outside, which isn't too bad but also not an ideal 90 degrees like his mom likes.

It is just soo cute to work with kids that are learning to swim. It doesn't matter how good a kid is at what they do, but it is what they get out of it. They learn to listen, take turns, feel good about themselves, reach goals and come away with an increased self-esteem. When parents get caught up in their child's achievements I remind them that those are not what they are going to take away from swimming. They are going to take away far greater skills than the ability or speed that someone can swim.

One of the greatest blessings as a coach is to see what kind of parent you want to become and who you don't want to be like.

My friends asked if we wanted to do a co-op with Scott three days a week which I have done with him for the past couple of years. They have been great and I am in one with Tyler, but Scott wants to do Pre-K at his school. We'll see if he changes his mind once it starts.

We started doing co-ops when Scott had really bad separation anxiety after Tyler was born and it was such a blessing. I have loved doing co-ops. Both he and I have made some great friends, but I think he needs something a little different. He is a little shy in larger groups so this will be good or at least interesting for him. He has just starting to love learning, so I am so excited for him to start a program that has a variety of things from P.E to Yoga to carpentry to learning. I really feel it will be a good setting for him with a lot of male leaders who play so much with the kids.

As much as I am excited for him, there is a part of me that is really sad because I am love our freedom and having him home. It will be good for Tyler to get some alone time with mom and good for Scott to be with friends. He loves friends and loves his little activities.

I think the hardest part is for me to say good-bye but at the same time excited that he is excited. If he doesn't like or isn't ready, no big deal and we don't have to continue. I love that I can do what he wants to do and is ready for.

He has to be 4 years 9 months for the program. Every time we go by the school he rolls down the window and says hi to his little friends. I feel so blessed that we are able to give our kids opportunities to grow and thrive. It is such a blessing. Not all kids are the same and it is so great to find what works for them.