Spencer hasn't exactly taken to the water. As a baby he really freaked out if the water touched his head at all. Bath time was fun until I got to his hair and face. I learned to be extra careful to make it only feel like a washcloth touching him and not any pouring or splashing water. Eventually I got him to lay down in the bath on my arm. He has gradually gotten better since being a baby, but it's been a slow process. I started him in swimming lessons the summer after he turned 4 years old. He did leven 1 twice that summer trying to get him comfortable in the water. I tried to take him swimming a bit that summer to get him more used to it. He ended the summer being just fine as long as he was no more than waist high or if he was being held. The next summer I had him take level 1 again and he got to be okay putting his face in the water. The next spring I started him indoors at Dimple Dell in level 2 along with putting Tessa in level 1. Then in summer I put him in level 2 outdoors at Crestwood. He got to be much more brave and would go down to pick up diving toys. He wouldn't dive but he would go get them. He was perfectly fine in the water as long as his feet were touching. But he refused to try to swim or float or anything with his feet not on the water unless he was being held. That year Tessa jumped off the diving board (her teacher caught her) and Spencer wouldn't even jump off the wall of the pool.
So this year right after tax season I put Spencer in private swimming lessons for 12 times (15 minute sessions). I put Tessa in for the last 6 lessons as well. By the end of this time Spencer was swimming by himself for the length of 3 strokes in water that he knew he could touch the ground if he needed to. He still refuses to go in water where he can't touch the ground, even if he's wearing a life jacket. Tessa loves the water but when Spencer gets nervous she decides she must be too. Clara on the other hand has absolutely NO FEAR. We spent a lot of this summer in the water hoping to keep building on Spencer's bravery and skills. Here are a couple pictures from swimming lessons:
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