Drama at the Pool

July 26, 2010 · Filed under Uncategorized

I know as a parent I will have many low points…but today I experienced my lowest thus far.

It’s the first day of Sean and Haley’s swimming lessons. Thankfully they are both in the same class, so that’s convenient. Sean is pretty scared of the water to begin with, so his whiney anxiousness on the way to the pool isn’t surprising. I understand. When we arrive, Sean’s axiousness and nervousness increase about 100%.  I’m talking straight up he’s crying and yelling, “I don’t want to go in the water. I want to go home. I wanna take a rest. I don’t wanna go in the water.” Let me just stop real quick and set the scene we walked into…it’s a huge indoor lap pool with bazillions of kids (okay…maybe 20) already in it, bleachers off to the side with about a bazillion parents (okay….maybe 20-30), and staff  (teachers, reception, lifegaurds) peppered through out the room. So Sean is essentially making a scene in front of a bunch of people in a loud echo-y room. This just sets the stage for about the next 25 minutes.

We make our way to the lockeroom (also loud and echo-y). I try to reassure and soothe Sean as I proceed dressing Haley in her swim diaper and suit. It’s clear as I scan the locker room that the kids have to shower before they get into the pool. As casually and happily as I can I say, “Okay guys, hop in the shower real quick.” Both kids freak!  “Nooooo! No shower! I wanna go home! No no no no no no no!” and they take off in different directions. Awesome. Fine. No shower.

I tell the kids to sit on the bleachers and just watch the other kids swim. “Look at how much fun they are having,” I point out. Sean isn’t convinced and sits there blubbering and yelling “I want to go home.” Thankfully a lifeguard walks by and sees Sean’s distress. He trys to soothe Sean while a lady next to me points out the swim instructor. “Maybe your son could go say hi and meet the teacher. SHe’s really nice and super good with kids who are scared.” Not convinced this will really work I encourage Sean to come with me to say hello. Sean sees this as an opportunity to try the “flight” mode of “fight or flight” panic (because obviously fighting wasn’t working!). So now I am chasing a screaming, crying Sean towards the instructor, and the lifeguard that had taken pity (maybe it was compassion) on Sean is also chasing him and calling his name. I let Sean disappear into the lockeroom while the lifegaurd stands at the doorway calling for him. I decide to go ahead and talk to the instructor. I let her know the screaming child that just ran past was my son. “He’s terrified.” I inform her dumbly. I mean it’s obvious right? Her words to me were, ‘Oh it’s normal. I see it all the time. Don’t worry.’ Her face, tone, and “vibe” said, “Tsk. Great. Another screamer and overworried mother. Awesome.”

I paw my way back through the now crowded lockeroom to find Sean, but I don’t really have to look because I can hear him. He decides he’d like to take a shower now. *pause* Have I mention through all this Haley is velcroed to my hip? Now you know.  Sean takes a shower and I try to put Haley down with him. She freaks. Now I have two screaming children in a crowded echo-y room…again. *sigh*

Time to start class. I see class already started. So has Sean. Sean takes off toward the front door. The lifeguard is worried Sean will go out front. I reassure the lifegaurd…”Don’t worry, he won’t go outside. Le me get my daughter in the class and then I’ll get him.” No can do. Sean was out the front door and running towards the middle of the parking lot. Scared and panicked he might get hit by a car I shriek at him. “SEAN! Fine, you don’t have to go swimming but you have to come inside. Please come back inside.” I coax him in and sit him on a bench.

I proceed to put Haley in the water…she screams and cries. Teacher tells me not worry, but turns to the reception lady and says “I have a lot of screamers today.” Thanks.  Haley’s screaming escalates to something I can’t describe but it makes her face turn a reddy-purple color and threatens barf. Teacher tells me to put Sean in the water…don’t worry if he screams. ANd he did. Both my kids are  in the water screaming, crying, and trying to escape. Teacher tells me to just sit at the edge of the pool and watch. I can’t comfort my kids, I am embarrassed and I’m stressed. I feel my own waterworks threatening arrival. I try really really really hard to hold it in for my kids. I swallow it.

My kids stay in the water for about 15 minutes. I stay at the edge of the pool. Haley continues to shriek, turn colors and threaten barf the whole time. The mother next to me is clearly irritated with my daughter because she puts her fingers in her ears and takes every opportunity to glare at Haley. I wish I were exaggerating due to my elevated stress and embarrassment level, but she really did put her fingers in her ears and glare at Haley. There was nothing I could doThen it happened. Haley finally succeeded in barfing. Every person in the pool was evacuated…were talking at least four swim classes worth of kiddos.

I had enough, Haley had enough and I am pretty sure everyone in the pool house had enough. Glarey-finger-in-ears mom gathered her kids and left. Several other moms followed.  We pack up and go home. The swim instructor seems concerned that we are leaving. I’m surprised she doesn’t  want us to leave. I tell her we’ll come back tomorrow as Haley has vomit on her suit and I don’t have an extra.

I called my own mom on the way home and just cried. I let out all my embarrassment, heartbreak and stress pour out over the phone. Thanks goodness for moms. Even at almost 30 I am grateful I can cry on her shoulder. When my husband got home for lunch I started all over again and got a big hug. Tomorrow it’s his turn.