In his 2-piece swimsuit
Testing out the lockers himself (I cut his back hair, too straight as you can see)Yesterday, I brought him swimming for the first time. We don't own any club membership, so it was in a local leisure centre (public pool).
He was all cheery and happy when we I told him that "we are going swimming, OK. Play with lots of water". Still OK when we were in Tesco purchasing his arm band, inflatable waist ring (which came with an inflatable beach ball as well). He was his usual self, waved at cashier and smiled at anyone that smiled at him.
Once in the changing room, he didn't protest and let me changed him into his special swim nappy and swim suit. BUT, as soon as the arm band was on. He knew something was wrong.
I first placed him standing on the shallow part of the water. He was stoned for literally a minute. Looked around, looked at his feet, looked at me. Then I carried him into a slightly deeper side so that he can float his arm band and felt warmer. He started CRYING! That was not the response I was expecting from him. I thought he would be overjoyed to be given a chance to play with so much water.
For the next 20 minutes, he clinged on to me and whimpered and cried in between observing the kids around him having fun.
Me: Tobey, you don't want to play water?
Tob: (shake head vigorously)
Me: You want to go home?
Tob: There, there, there (whilst pointing at the direction we came from)
So I took him out. Maybe because I waited too late (only after all his immunisation jabs) to introduce him to the pool, or maybe because there were too many people and echoed in this indoor pool.
Maybe we should join a club after all.
(Side ranting: my locker key -which was a magnetic coin on a band- was faulty. Being the first time using it, I thought the locker was faulty when it wouldn't lock when I used the band to touch it. So I shifted lockers TWICE. In the midst, I dropped my clothes and the coins in my jeans pocket fell down. A kid pretended to help me pick up a £1 coin and pass it to me. But instead of actually letting go of the money, he retracted his hand and ran off! Yes, he stole my money! If I have a free hand and not in the midst of shifting locker, holding on to Tobey, and trying to get an attendant to help me, I would definitely ran after him and ensure that his parents know of his vice...GRRRRRRRR)
4 comments:
Oh, Tobey looked so cute in his swimming costume! It's his first time in the pool, maybe gradually, he'll get used to it - next time try not to put arm bands around, I hated it when I was a kid, i find that it was costricting me instead of "helping me float". Maybe if you just allow him in there sans floaties, he'll enjoy splashing the waters.
Side note : That little boy!! Grrrrrr!! How old was he?? I'd be quite cheesed and bemused at the same time.
Mei Ling - he was okay when you brought him to the shallow water. After that did you bring him deeper where his feet couldn't touch the floor? If you did, then you should have taken it a bit slower. I don't think it has anything to do with whether it's public pool or a club. It is a new experience and he doesn't understand what's going on. We used to tell Dominic that it's a large bath tub and we're taking a bath. He loves his bath time so that sounded like something positive to him. But till now, if we let him float on his arm bands alone, he'll make noise. The next time you bring Tobey swimming, I'm predicting that he won't even wanna get into those arm bands. If that happens, I suggest that you just bring him into the pool without the arm bands - let him know that it's something fun. Then later, you can slowly re-introduce the arm bands.
@Sukye: I brought him to somewhere deeper, but his feet still can touch the ground. Yes, I will definitely try without the armband the next time. Thanks :)
@Tsulin: Yes, definitely will try without the armbands the next time.
@Tsulin: Oh the boy was ard 8-10 yrs old.
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