The Green Band

In addition to all the fun adventures I took the boys on this summer I also had them in swim lessons. The Y really has an awesome learn to swim program that teaches kids to be safe and confident in and around the water.

I’m ashamed to admit that at six years old Cameron still couldn’t swim. With our summers being spent waiting for Bill to be able to have some fun with us we just never took the time to get Cameron in lessons. Why learn to swim if we’re never going swimming was my thought.

This year the boys spent six weeks learning to swim. For Logan it was more getting used to being in the water than actually learning to swim. Cameron on the other hand went from sinking like a stone in the pool to swimming like a little fish in a matter of four weeks.

So proud to be able to swim without Mommy or Daddy!

The Y has a wrist band system for kids in the pool so the lifeguards know that abilities of the kids swimming. A red band is for the kids who can’t swim at all and those kids need to have a parent with them in the water. Then the yellow band is for the kids who can swim but can’t swim a whole lap and can’t tread water for long. Those kids also need a parent near by. The green wrist band is for the good swimmers and they’re allowed in the pool without a parent.

The kids are tested to see where they fall and are issued a band accordingly.

In four weeks Cameron went from a red band to a green one, he didn’t even bother with the yellow band. I don’t think he’s ever been so proud of himself and rightfully so.

I don’t know if I’ve ever been so proud. I was working the night he got his green band and when he came running to the window holding up his little arm to show me I had to choke back the tears.

This has been the best summer ever in so many ways.

Did your kids have an extra special accomplishment this summer? Please share with the rest of us.