Catching Michael Day
Today was "Catching Michael Day." I felt like I spent all day catching him. Me and wife's mother took him to the pool, and he kept trying to walk straight down the steps. Of course, he's not tall enough, so I had to catch him each time before his head went under the water.
A few days ago, when I took him swimming I noticed he struggles and shakes his head "no, no, no" when I try to hold him by his armpits and let him kick and splash, trying to teach him to swim.
For the longest time, I thought he was struggling because he was afraid.
Now, I finally figured out, he is struggling because he wants to swim on his own. He's got this crazy independent streak. He wants to feed himself, turn lights on/off by himself, and gets really, really upset when me, wife, grandparents try to help him. He basically wants to do what all the grown-ups do.
So, he's seen me swimming laps, and figures he can do it by himself. This is making it more and more difficult. I was carrying him around and he went and dunked his own face in the water. It surprised him, but he was still struggling to get free. *sigh* I can't let him swim by himself yet. I do want to hold him and both of us bob under the water for a second or two so he can get used to being submerged in the water, but wife has nixed the idea.
She's worried that it will scare him. I'm convinced that it won't, but I guess Mommy wins since Mommy knows best.
Besides catching Michael all day on the pool steps, I ended up having to catch him when he climbed up a chair and for some reason I cannot understand, decided to jump off it. Maybe he fell. Not sure. I was very proud of myself, though, parental instinct kicked in and I caught him by his leg so he didn't hit the ground. I didn't even see him jump/fall, next thing I knew I was holding Michael by his leg so he didn't hit the ground.
He was fine, didn't even cry, but at that point my nerves were fried for the day. It's hard to keep a rambunctious toddler out of trouble and from getting hurt, and it takes a constant, constant watching him. After his chair stunt, I told grandma, "Please take him to bed, I don't think I can take anymore for the day!" So glad to have grandparents help.
A few days ago, when I took him swimming I noticed he struggles and shakes his head "no, no, no" when I try to hold him by his armpits and let him kick and splash, trying to teach him to swim.
For the longest time, I thought he was struggling because he was afraid.
Now, I finally figured out, he is struggling because he wants to swim on his own. He's got this crazy independent streak. He wants to feed himself, turn lights on/off by himself, and gets really, really upset when me, wife, grandparents try to help him. He basically wants to do what all the grown-ups do.
So, he's seen me swimming laps, and figures he can do it by himself. This is making it more and more difficult. I was carrying him around and he went and dunked his own face in the water. It surprised him, but he was still struggling to get free. *sigh* I can't let him swim by himself yet. I do want to hold him and both of us bob under the water for a second or two so he can get used to being submerged in the water, but wife has nixed the idea.
She's worried that it will scare him. I'm convinced that it won't, but I guess Mommy wins since Mommy knows best.
Besides catching Michael all day on the pool steps, I ended up having to catch him when he climbed up a chair and for some reason I cannot understand, decided to jump off it. Maybe he fell. Not sure. I was very proud of myself, though, parental instinct kicked in and I caught him by his leg so he didn't hit the ground. I didn't even see him jump/fall, next thing I knew I was holding Michael by his leg so he didn't hit the ground.
He was fine, didn't even cry, but at that point my nerves were fried for the day. It's hard to keep a rambunctious toddler out of trouble and from getting hurt, and it takes a constant, constant watching him. After his chair stunt, I told grandma, "Please take him to bed, I don't think I can take anymore for the day!" So glad to have grandparents help.
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