One of the coolest things about being a parent is being challenged to practice what you preach. Siena’s usually the superstar in her swim class. She’s a bit older than the other kids in her class, and she’s fearless. I definitely felt the “proud Mama” vibe when her swim instructor asked us to move her into the more advanced, older group in the summer. I felt it, recognized it, and tried not to get too carried away with it, knowing that I have an entire life ahead of me of to hear about Siena being more “advanced” in some areas, and challenged in others. At the same time, I’ll admit it. I did call my mom about the news. Coming from “a swimming family,” I knew that the coach’s request would solidify an important narrative about us, indirectly strengthening a bond across the generations. The real test came today when Siena “bombed” portions of the class, if a two year-old could even do such a thing in a class with floating penguins and mom-child duos singing and swaying to “The Wheels on the Bus” in the water. She refused to float a second time on her back. She cried on my shoulders. She wouldn’t push off the wall on her own. “Big deal” is what I had to tell myself, again and again. It’s one class. I counted my breaths. I followed her lead…to a point. We stayed in the class.
Thursday is It’s Cool Being a Parent Day
April 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment
