My daughter started weekly swimming lessons last September. They were fun and a little dramatic at times but on the whole – a positive experience. The classes were 30 minutes long. Fairly repetitive and for much of the time, no progress was made, as my daughter flatly refused to try anything week after week.
30 minute sessions are efficient but zero fun. Trying to explain to a toddler, that she has to what other children do, when they do it was falling on deaf ears. Trying to exit the pool, after what seemed like 5 minutes, was tricky all round. We spent more time in the changing room, at either end of the lesson, than we did in the pool.
Enough
We have joined a Country Club. It has a swimming pool, available 7 days a week. My husband and I can now take our daughter at weekends, as well as during the week. No schedules, no time frames, just us, in the water having fun.
I’m much more relaxed, as I have my husband there for company. Our daughter is happy, as the time in the pool isn’t timed. Don’t know why we waited this long to try it this way.
My last mummy and baby swimming lesson was this month. Same parents as normal. Same civil chit chat. We talk about our kids, to our kids and through our kids. No one says goodbye as they leave. No bond has been formed. No numbers exchanged. Bye.
The great opportunity to make mummy-friends, never quite brought home the gold. One-off groups and classes that meet every week for months, didn’t add even so much as a coffee morning to my social life. I am not disheartened. If anything, I feel better. I didn’t miss out on anything. I feel validated. Having a vagina and a child, with the same interests, a lifelong friendship does not make. Shocker.
In my quest to lose weight, I have joined a slimming club. I purposefully joined an evening class, as I wanted to meet a variety of people. First session is next week. A child free 90 minutes in the company of other adults – sounds fabulous.
Will let you know.