Meet Charlie. An adorable 3 year old that's as rambunctious and stubborn as they come. She questions and challenges absolutely everything! Perhaps this is one reason she hasn't excelled through the ranks in swim class. Maybe she is constantly second guessing or weighing the pros and cons of sticking her face in the water. 

You may have read in past blogs how much of a rockstar my 5 year old son is at swim lesssons. It seems like he moves to the next level every few months. In contrast, Charlie has been at the same level ever since we started. And like many of you out there, I have begun to ask myself, "what is the point in continuing swim lessons right now?" Or, "maybe she's not old enough." 

So, here's 4 reasons we are going to continue anyways....

 1. Exercise

The fact that she doesn't seem to be making progress doesn't take away from the fact that she is staying active in a fun environment and further developing the muscles and motor skills she will need to excel in the future.  

2.  Life Saving Skills

She may not be able to do the breast stroke but she sure can crawl her fingers along the edge of a pool and pull herself out. They learn very practical skills each week that may save her life one day and that is one of the number one reasons we love Goldfish Swim School. 

3. Character Building 

On the way to swim class last week, Charlie looked at me while I buckled her into her car seat and said, "today I'm going to put my face in the water. I hope I get a ribbon, but it's okay if I don't."  Sometimes I am taken aback by her level of maturity. I was so proud of her for setting a goal for herself and knowing that she may not get rewarded for her small step but she still can be proud of herself regardless of recognition. So I guess we are learning life lessons at Goldfish too. 

4. She Loves Swim Class!!

This isn't a post about kids who despise swim class and parents who struggle with what to do. (Although I would still recommend those parents stick with it.) This is more about wondering if the cost of swim class is worth it when you feel like your child isn't getting enough out of the experience. I was seriously considering withdrawing Charlie because to me it felt like she wasn't learning anything. But watching how much fun she has with her teacher and the huge smile on her face in the water was proof enough that we are doing the right thing by continuing on. This is the only activity we participate in currently because she's not in school yet. I am glad she has an activity to go to once a week that she really enjoys. 

If anything, I am the one who really learned a lesson in all of this. You don't need to excel at something to find worth in it or to appreciate it. She may not ever be a star athlete but she will appreciate small achievements and she will eventually learn to swim. Which is a necessary skill no matter how long it takes. 

Check out this video and see the joy for yourself!