Oh sure, make me look like a liar

Children have the most amazing ability of knowing which parent they can manipulate and which parent won't go for it.

Yesterday I took Cman to swimming class because R had to work late. Based on what R had told me from Sunday's class I was fully expecting that Chris would not want to be in the water or do any of the activities. I mentally prepared myself to not push him to do anything he didn't want to do and to just take it easy and follow his lead. This is very hard for me because I'm all about trying new things (especially when I'm not the one doing the trying...ha ha).

From the moment I entered the pool everything that I was expecting to happen did not. I was expecting the water to be cold, it was warm. I was expecting him to complain, whine and squeal (yes, that's his latest talent), he did not. The class went wonderfully. He relaxed a little for the songs, he did most of the activities (albeit hesitantly, but he did them nonetheless). He even got on the little table and walked around by himself and started climbing the handle bar. Once he got to the top, I helped him jump in the water. What happened when he came up for air? He loved it and wanted to do it again...and again...and again (very unlike his koala grip from last time).

They had a new activity where the kids had to walk on a floating mat and then jump in the water. I let him watch the other kids do it first and then encouraged him to try it. He did it with no problems...twice! He floated swam underwater a couple of times and not a tear in sight. He protested sometimes when it was time to change activities, but would quiet down when he realized that I was holding him and nothing would happen to him (and that if you whine while you're diving you'll get water up your nose...JK...kind of).

I think I struck a good balance between following his lead and prompting him to try new things. Once he tried a new activity I cheered him on, but didn't push him to do it over and over again (like the other kids were doing). I just let him rest or play for a little while and then we would try it again.

Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised at how great the class was and how nicely he participated. Last night I told R all about how well he swam and how he did all the activities and he almost couldn't believe it. It's like I was talking about a totally different toddler. I think it's because R is a big softy and treats Christian like a baby, so Cman then adopts that role. On the other hand, with me, he knew that the big baby act wasn't going to work, so he ponied up and put the macho in macho man. Woohoo! Great...now I'm going to be singing that song all day.