I am not a swimmer. I grew up playing in the shallow end when we went to pools. I was scared to dunk my head under water. I was scared to even think of attending the 4-H camp one of my really good friends went to because I knew they gave a swimming test at the start of camp.
In college I started dating this guy who loved the water. He was a swimmer in high school and spent all his summers by the lake. His mom had him in the pool at 6 months old. For his summer job, he was a lifeguard. One time I went to Presque Isle with this guy and he flipped me over his back, face first into the water. At that moment, I became rather wary of him in the water and tried not to let him get too close.
So I let his Mom start teaching me how to swim. She got me floating on my back, doing a little bit of backstroke and being able to move along in a life jacket. That way when her son and I went on our honeymoon, I was able to go snorkeling and to swim with the dolphins (all with a life jacket on, though).
Now Keith and I have a little girl who's spending summers riding Grandpa and Grandma's boat. We've taken her on the Jet Ski (slowly and when it's flat, of course). Always, her Daddy is there. I know he'd never let anything happen to us, even if he did once plop me face-first into the water. I also know he's a strong enough swimmer that we're all really safe with him. And Autumn doesn't get near the docks without her special "boat coat."
Regardless, if we're spending our summers on the water or at Lake Erie's beaches, I need to know how to swim, too. I don't ever want to be put in a position with Autumn where she's in trouble and I can't help. When she turns 3, we'll be signing her up for swim lessons. Until then, we can only acclimate her to the water. And until then, I can learn.
I'm almost finished with my second set of eight sessions. Last winter I took private lessons from K out at my local high school's pool. After K left, no private lessons were offered for winter and spring. But now, M, who just graduated from high school, is teaching me. Soon she'll go off to college and hopefully someone else will teach private lessons over the fall and winter. Although I really want to learn how to swim, I'm not taking lessons with 5-year-olds.
And so far I am learning. M made me swim 100 yards last night. Granted, I'm huffing and puffing in between laps, but at least I'm doing it. After all, I have a lot of motivation and it comes in the form of one cute little girl named Autumn.