Life Skills- Swimming

December 16, 2015

8:02 PM

What made you enroll the kids in swimming lessons?

It wasn't my idea.  That came from the magical brain of my mother, the ever-resourceful and skillful one.  Steph and I were still down in Texas packing and the moms had taken the kids back to Maryland.  Well, it was the middle of the summer, and the boy needed something to get involved in. So, my mother calls me up and asks if she could enroll him in swimming lessons.  I didn't really give it much thought, because I was so focused on everything else (my surgery and the news that I was expecting), but I told her yes.  Turns out, it was one of the best decisions.  

I'm not that great of a swimmer.  I remember taking lessons when I was little.  I guess at the time I didn't actually realize I was taking lessons.  I remember yapping about how one of my sisters was a cheerleader at her high school to the instructor.  I barely noticed her counting down from three, then ***SPLASH!!!*** ***GURGLE!!!*** Sheer. Panic.  The instructor pulled me back up and I was shaking from head to toe.  I was mortified!  I think I even peed a little.  Right there.  In the pool.  Shush, because you know you peed in the local pool, too, at some point.  Or maybe in your shower.  Needless to say, my grand Olympic swimming career was o-v-e-r at that point.  Thankfully, the kids don't have to worry about that.  They are naturals.

They take lessons at Kids Swim First Swim School.  We absolutely love it there!  They staff is great and professional.  They even make you feel like family there.  The teachers are very skilled and work well with all of the children.  We even get a nifty little homeschool discount!  Woohoo, discounts!  Jay has been taking lessons for almost a year and a half and has moved up several levels.  Mad started around her 3rd birthday.  They both have adapted to the water with such great ease.  It's really true what is said about how children make the best learners.  It's so important that they do learn a skill so underrated such as swimming.  You never know what type of situation you'll find yourself in.  If you do a simple Google search, you find all kinds of stories of how children accidentally drowned.  Much of the time, it's because they didn't know how to do something as simple as treading water.

According to the CDC website, children ages 1-4 have the highest drowning rates.  Men and boys drown at a rate of four to one.  Most of the people of those demographics were black.  Startling, isn't it?  If, for some reason, Jay and Mad were involved in a situation that required them to utilize those skills, I know that they'd have a fighting chance.  I recommend to all parents to start taking their children to someone's swim lessons.  It could, literally, be the difference between life and death.  If they never encounter a life or death situation, they could at least be the next Michael Phelps.  That means early retirement for you!  Yay, white picket fence and mimosas every morning!

Swimming Lesson Resources

Kids First Swim School

YMCA

American Red Cross Learn-To-Swim  

Madison during her lessons.

*For some reason, I don't have any still shots of Jay during his lessons; only videos. And, of course, I can't embed videos! I'll fix the problem eventually. 

It's Been A Long Time...

December 15, 2015

12:06 PM

Hello, there! It's been nearly two years! How's everything been?

My last entry was published February 26, 2014, Jay's 7th birthday.  In two months, he'll be 9.  9! It's hard to believe.  So much has happened since that last entry.  I had major surgery July, 2014.  Praise God I survived that!  It wasn't anything too serious, but it's surgery.  There's always a chance something could go awry.  Stephan is now a veteran of the United States Army!  His last day was in September, 2014.  What a big transition we had to make going from Texas back to Maryland!  We had lots of help from our family, especially from our moms.  We sent the kids ahead of us with them so we could pack.  That was also the time I had my surgery.  Not four days after my surgery, I discovered something HUGE: I was pregnant!  We had no idea!  We were absolutely thrilled!  Unfortunately, that great news was temporarily set aside at the news of my grandfather's passing in August.  Granddad had been sick for the better part of that year.  It was very tough on our family, considering he was the patriarch.  We missed the funeral, because we were shutting down our life in Texas.  We still miss him and think of him often.

Shortly after sending off our belongings on moving trucks, Stephan and I hit the road.  We drove though Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Virginia, and right into our home state.  It was lots of fun spending all of that time alone with my hubby.  It was the first time we ever had been together alone for that length of time (nearly three weeks), since we always had Jay with us.  We learned a lot about each other.  After reaching Maryland, we settled down at my mom's house.  

Fast forward to April, 2015.  Miss Abigail Marie Berry made her debut!  She is so precious and sweet!  We were secretly hoping for a boy, but were just as happy when the sonographer told us we were having another girl.  The year 2015 was a year for ups, downs, and changes.  Our family suffered loss, again, this past July.  That was a lot to recover from.  Right around that time, Stephan went back to work.  Most recently, we bought a house!  I mean...wow!  A house!  We also joined a new church!  I love my Fellowship Baptist Church family already! They preach and teach the word! 

Oh, man, I almost forgot.  Yes, we still homeschool!  Jay is now in the third grade (equivalent), doing fourth grade work.  Madison has even started!  She turned three this past September, so she's working on her colors, shapes, numbers, and letters.  I had some anxieties about homeschooling in Maryland, but there's such a large number of homeschooling families, it would be hard NOT to!  There's ton of support and even more daytime programs and activities geared toward homeschoolers.  Jay has been taking swimming lessons for over a year.  He even takes piano lessons, and dabbles on the drumset.  He'll be starting wrestling with the Boys and Girls club next year.  He's really pumped, but we had to explain to him that it's not like the WWE. *Lol*  Madison also takes swimming lessons.  She's a natural!  Totally fearless! 

The Lord has only shown a small portion of His power in our lives over the last two years.  It's been wonderful. It's been challenging.  There were some tough choices that we had to make.  But, throughout it all, I've been faithful.  In no way, shape, or form have I reached where I'd like to be as a follower of Christ, but by the grace of the Lord, I'm moving in the right direction!  

Now that we're finally settled into our lives, and back to our "Texas routine", I'll be posting more often.  I've had a lot of parents message me over the last few years asking about homeschooling and/or working with their children.  If I can help in any way, then that's what I'll do.  Love you guys, and glad to be back!  Until next time...