Our first swim lesson on Tuesday, while not a complete disaster, did not go quite as well as I had hoped. So, the strategy on Wednesday was to talk constantly about how wonderful Michelle & Mandy were and generally convince Maeve that they were her new two best friends in the world. Yea right. Why do I ever think I can fool Maeve? She just gave me that look of hers... a mixture of "Are you nuts?!" and "You are going to have to do a whole lot better than that!".
So Thursday, the day of our next lesson, arrives and I tell Maeve that we are going swimming. I now have one happy, excited little girl. After trying on three bathing suits, we settle on the one above...a little to small but she was determined to wear it. We gathered our gear and I told her, "Okay, let's go to our swimming lessons." Mini Sherlock Holmes caught the "lesson" in that sentence and announced, "No!". "No wimming esson Mommy." The ride over consisted of me trying to convince her that she would have a fun time.
Me: "Swimming lessons are so much fun!"
Maeve: "No!"
Me: "I like Mandy, She is really nice. Do you like Mandy?"
Maeve: "No."
Me: "What about Michelle? She is really nice too. Do you like Michelle?"
Maeve: "No."
Me: "Don't you want to go swimming in the big pool?" (she usually begs to go in the big pool)
Maeve: "No. Ittle pool Mommy."
Me: "Swimming lessons are fun. Don't you want to take swimming lessons?"
This was my favorite part. She really said it just like this.
Maeve: "Mommy, I have to say No."
This conversation continued the five minute ride over and then for another 30 minutes while we played in the little pool waiting for our lesson to start at the big pool. I managed to drag her over a few minutes prior to the lesson starting, but she insisted on sitting wrapped in her towel next to me for the first few minutes of the lesson. She was watching the instructors (Mandy & Michelle) and the other little girls (three this time as another joined the class) intently, checking for any sign of distress, sharks and electric eels. Finally, I insisted that she "unwrap" herself from the towel and sit with me on the steps. Maeve did, but whimpered any time the girls came close. About half way through class (another looonnnnggg thirty minutes), it seemed a little better. I motioned to Mandy that I was going to hand Maeve over to her and she got ready. The look on Maeve's face as I picked her up and gave her to the alleged enemy was priceless, but at least she wasn't screaming like she did on Tuesday. She made it through the "ordeal" of Mandy walking her the length of the pool practicing her kicks and swirling her around (she almost smiled here). Still slightly terror stricken when she got back to the steps, she did nod her head that she was having a good time and she stayed in the pool. When it was her turn, Mandy took her out again and she did even better this time...hardly a single whimper. Still by the end of class, Maeve was ready to go and while the other kids are begging to stay, we were off...Maeve on a mission to make the parking lot in five seconds flat.
Still there is hope...On the drive home, Maeve is happily babbling about the ice cream I promised her when we get home, when out of the blue she says, "Mommy. I like Michelle and Andy." Tuesday is looking better already.
0 comments:
Post a Comment