Just when you think you know your kid...

Like most Moms during the summer, I signed La Nina up for swim lessons. (The Magster isn't old enough.) For La Nina, swim lessons are a no-brainer. The kid is half fish. She loves the water and I usually can't convince her to get out of the pool.

We show up for swim lessons at the pool we visit regularly on Monday, she takes one look at the pool and says, "No, Mom. I don't like swim lessons." I'm stumped. I ask her why, she starts sobbing. Her sobbing escalates to hysteria and before I know it, we've devolved into into full melt down about NOT swimming. Now a temper tantrum about getting out of the pool is expected, but one about getting into the pool? This was a new one on me.

Of course, I reasoned with her. Asked her why. Tried to settle her down. She just got more hysterical. Thankfully, we go to the pool a lot and the lesson coordinator knew she is a swimmer. So, she sent a wonderful teen age girl lifeguard to work with La Nina. Eventually, a very timid La Nina gingerly waded into the pool, whimpering the whole time. The last time I took her to the pool, I put her in time out for diving into the shallow end. The water shy kid I took to the pool on Monday was not my daughter.

The good thing with La Nina is she usually tells me her real issues once she settles down and Monday was no exception. In the new class, the kids went to the deep end and she was afraid she was going to sink. I gently reminded her that life guards don't let kids sink. She agreed, then the real issue: the teachers were teen age boy lifeguards and wanted nothing to do with them. In her defense, the lifeguards were a little boisterous in a fun way, but they were great. There were 3 of them for 6 kids. Two were out in the water, one was keeping an eye with the kids on the edge. Those guards were patient, supportive, encouraging...just a little too enthusiastic for La Nina's taste, I suppose.

So, I called the lesson coordinator the next morning and explained the situation. Now, I'm fairly unsympathetic to a reluctance to deal with members of the opposite sex. Half the world is male. You have to learn to deal with them sometime. Even if they are loud.

The lesson coordinator just laughed. She has 4 girls and has seen this before. So, here's the resolution: Carly is unofficially getting private lessons with the lone girl life guard who is on duty in the mornings. And it worked. Tonight, La Nina begged me to go back to swim lessons. Why? She misses her teacher and wants to go back in the deep end with the kick board. Oy Vey!