So the summer vacations are on and though initially mommy was a little worried thinking about the super long three and a half months period at home, things have been going pretty busy so far. With chinipie's karate and swimming and few other programs thrown in between, all of us get exhausted by the end of the day.
Oh and the major part of my day goes in coaxing them to go for it. I know I might sound like a cruel or a hard mom but it's them who wanted to go in the first place. Chini had been asking me why I don't take her to swimming any more and of course, what she would be doing the entire summer. I found out the best swimming classes and enrolled her. Sugarbun just assumed that she is in too. The morning of the very first swim lessons, both if them came downstairs with their swim costumes on. Looking at sugar's excited face, I had no heart to tell her that those lessons were only for four yr olds and up and decided to play uptil the last moment. Once there, she was just not ready to accept the fact that her big sister went but not her and kept asking me why she can't go. A look at her face and I could tell that shez about to cry. So, I just took the chance and asked the supervisor if she could start and was taken by surprise when he said yes. And before I knew she was gone with an instructor and I was at their office completing the sign-up formalities. The first day was fun as the focus wasî to get the kids used to the water. And the kids were more than eager the next day.
The second day was an eye-opener for them when they were left by themselves in the mid-water. Of course, the teachers were there but not really holding them. And that's when it started. . I don't like swimming! I don't want to go! Chini even asked "why don't they hv any noodles like the last summers?" Then she realized, "it's not the same place, is it? " ummmm... actually it isn't dear! Good that u realized. So then started the daily counseling, "that's how u learn" ."that's how u move ahead. " even tried the luring trick, "oh I thought u really wanted to go to disney cruise. It's essential to know swimming for it." The first thing that came was,"what's a cruise? " So it was explained and the extra specials of all disney characters were added. And guess what it worked for a day, after which she said I don't want to go to disney at all. Uh oh! So an ultimatum was given just swim from one end to the other and we will stop the lessons. You think it worked. Of course not! Every morning, we leave the house whining. Twice, we even came back crying.
As for sugar, for the first week, she just re-iterated whatever her big sister said, though she seemed to enjoy it. Sugar was a little troubled by the chlorine water stinging in her eyes; she used to come back with watery, itchy, and red eyes each day. But that was fixed by swim goggles, and a talk with the teachers, who were not allowing the goggles at the beginners level. On the very first day of the second week, she threw up as soon as I had left her with her instructor. A friend of mine started helping her clean up while another fetched me(I usually go out of sight for a few minutes to avoid an outbreak). As soon as I reached the scene, the staff started yelling at me that I should have brought her on an empty stomach. Which was kinda true as what she had thrown up was pretty much solid, unchewed food. My little sugar actually just gulps all her food. Yeah still! So, my guess is something must have been stuck in her throat that would have made her uncomfortable and the crying would have brought it all out- on the poor instructor albeit! Anyways the staff was rather rude and wad screaming unnecessarily in frint of the poor kid, going to an extent that this has happened again. Now wait a minute, that wasn't true and I told her that and it just changed the scene completely. Immediately, her tone softened, her voice lowered and she offered to clean up if I just took my daughter to wash up in the shower room. So, off we went, amongst the sympathetic looks of the moms in the pavilions. Once cleaned up, sugar wanted to go back to the pool and the same staff member offerrd to take her ( parents are not allowed there). She asked me if she wasn't really sick as if I would hv pushed my teeny girl in the pool if she were. All said and done, she was just doing her job but with 942 kids being coached there every single day, they must be well equipped and trained to handle such situations; then why such a hulla-balloo?
Even with all the associated drama each day, It's finally the last day of the first two-week session of the swim lessons. And I am proud to say that both the girls are floating on their back independently. Chinipie was doing well until her instructor told her that they would all go to the deep end. That's when the fear seeped in. Chini's skill level is at par with her age but it's jumping into the water that she fears the most, especially at the deep end. Sugar still doesn't know what deep means, so she just classifies it as the dark blue water.
For karate, sugar is content watching her big sister for now, who had resisted initially, her reasoning being, I am not allowed to do and say what and when I want. Later she started enjoying, even looking forward, only because her friend joined in. Good for all of us, coz this is the only thing I had decided for my kids, long before they were born. Yes, they have to, have to, have to master at least one form of martial arts. Rest anything, they are free to choose! Call me a cruel mom if you want to!
Oh and the major part of my day goes in coaxing them to go for it. I know I might sound like a cruel or a hard mom but it's them who wanted to go in the first place. Chini had been asking me why I don't take her to swimming any more and of course, what she would be doing the entire summer. I found out the best swimming classes and enrolled her. Sugarbun just assumed that she is in too. The morning of the very first swim lessons, both if them came downstairs with their swim costumes on. Looking at sugar's excited face, I had no heart to tell her that those lessons were only for four yr olds and up and decided to play uptil the last moment. Once there, she was just not ready to accept the fact that her big sister went but not her and kept asking me why she can't go. A look at her face and I could tell that shez about to cry. So, I just took the chance and asked the supervisor if she could start and was taken by surprise when he said yes. And before I knew she was gone with an instructor and I was at their office completing the sign-up formalities. The first day was fun as the focus wasî to get the kids used to the water. And the kids were more than eager the next day.
The second day was an eye-opener for them when they were left by themselves in the mid-water. Of course, the teachers were there but not really holding them. And that's when it started. . I don't like swimming! I don't want to go! Chini even asked "why don't they hv any noodles like the last summers?" Then she realized, "it's not the same place, is it? " ummmm... actually it isn't dear! Good that u realized. So then started the daily counseling, "that's how u learn" ."that's how u move ahead. " even tried the luring trick, "oh I thought u really wanted to go to disney cruise. It's essential to know swimming for it." The first thing that came was,"what's a cruise? " So it was explained and the extra specials of all disney characters were added. And guess what it worked for a day, after which she said I don't want to go to disney at all. Uh oh! So an ultimatum was given just swim from one end to the other and we will stop the lessons. You think it worked. Of course not! Every morning, we leave the house whining. Twice, we even came back crying.
As for sugar, for the first week, she just re-iterated whatever her big sister said, though she seemed to enjoy it. Sugar was a little troubled by the chlorine water stinging in her eyes; she used to come back with watery, itchy, and red eyes each day. But that was fixed by swim goggles, and a talk with the teachers, who were not allowing the goggles at the beginners level. On the very first day of the second week, she threw up as soon as I had left her with her instructor. A friend of mine started helping her clean up while another fetched me(I usually go out of sight for a few minutes to avoid an outbreak). As soon as I reached the scene, the staff started yelling at me that I should have brought her on an empty stomach. Which was kinda true as what she had thrown up was pretty much solid, unchewed food. My little sugar actually just gulps all her food. Yeah still! So, my guess is something must have been stuck in her throat that would have made her uncomfortable and the crying would have brought it all out- on the poor instructor albeit! Anyways the staff was rather rude and wad screaming unnecessarily in frint of the poor kid, going to an extent that this has happened again. Now wait a minute, that wasn't true and I told her that and it just changed the scene completely. Immediately, her tone softened, her voice lowered and she offered to clean up if I just took my daughter to wash up in the shower room. So, off we went, amongst the sympathetic looks of the moms in the pavilions. Once cleaned up, sugar wanted to go back to the pool and the same staff member offerrd to take her ( parents are not allowed there). She asked me if she wasn't really sick as if I would hv pushed my teeny girl in the pool if she were. All said and done, she was just doing her job but with 942 kids being coached there every single day, they must be well equipped and trained to handle such situations; then why such a hulla-balloo?
Even with all the associated drama each day, It's finally the last day of the first two-week session of the swim lessons. And I am proud to say that both the girls are floating on their back independently. Chinipie was doing well until her instructor told her that they would all go to the deep end. That's when the fear seeped in. Chini's skill level is at par with her age but it's jumping into the water that she fears the most, especially at the deep end. Sugar still doesn't know what deep means, so she just classifies it as the dark blue water.
For karate, sugar is content watching her big sister for now, who had resisted initially, her reasoning being, I am not allowed to do and say what and when I want. Later she started enjoying, even looking forward, only because her friend joined in. Good for all of us, coz this is the only thing I had decided for my kids, long before they were born. Yes, they have to, have to, have to master at least one form of martial arts. Rest anything, they are free to choose! Call me a cruel mom if you want to!
