Swimming lessons... again

After halting swimming lessons when Lily was much younger due to the winter months and this nervous first-time mom not wanting her baby to get ill, it has now dawned on me that my child needs to learn how to swim.  It is my absolute worst fear that something should happen to any of my children around water.  So I have started an intensive 10 day swimming course with our Lily Pie with today being our first lesson...

Naturally Lily has lost all notion of what it is to swim, be dunked under water and float about from her earlier lessons when she was 8-12 months old.  With her being a little shy of new people I wasn't anticipating great things from her first lesson, but I have to admit, she pleasantly surprised me.  She eagerly entered the heated pool with her little friend Matthew and teacher Saskia and was happy to play about in the step area while mommy watched from the sidelines.  However, as expected, she was having none of going into the water with Saskia.  She was quite happy to kick about on the step, blow bubbles and play with the toys.  Only once, on Saskia's persistence, did she actually go into the pool being held by Saskia all the while telling her that she wanted to be returned to the safety of the step!

I hope and pray that this R750 tend day course proves worth while and that she eventually gains confidence to go to the teacher and venture into the deeper end of the pool.  For now the step is her best friend and I don't see her eagerly venturing any further.  Carol, the swimming school owner, believes that it will take another lesson or two and she will be fine.  Somehow I'm not as convinced knowing how determined and strong willed my little princess can be.  We shall see...

Lily & her little friend Matthew with Teacher Saskia