ISR Take 2...

Last year was our first year in ISR. Most kids take about 6-7 weeks for their initial training.

RJ took 10.

Over the Summer, we returned occasionally for refresher lessons. See, while RJ would now tolerate the pool and would cooperate with the program, he still was not interested in swimming for fun. So, we would practice.

By the end of the Summer he was doing great. He did not want to swim, but he would enjoy himself once he was in and his skills were superb. He even went in the pool at his friends house a couple times.

This year is refresher lessons. This should take 2 weeks or less.

When I told RJ what we were going to be doing he didn't blink an eye. He was calm and matter of fact about it.

I should have known.

We are 2 days into refresher lessons. 

The first day he put on a grumpy face, pouted his lips, crossed his arms and stormed off declaring, "I don't want to swim!". He absolutely refused to get in the water and I had to pick him up and hand him in. Kicking and screaming. Once again, my complacent, easy-going child turned into THAT kid. The one everyone stares at while pitying the parent :) Once in the pool, he cooperated and did wonderful. Once out of the pool, RJ was matter of fact about his behavior and we calmly discussed the coming week.

Today was no better. In fact, it was worse. He refused to take off his clothes. I had to wrestle his clothes off him and carry him to the pool. Again, he was kicking and screaming and even hit Ms. Mary. He then spent the first 5 minutes of his 10 minute lesson screaming "NO! I don't want to! Help me! Help me! Help! Help! No!" (I will admit the help me pleas were hysterical and I had to cover my mouth with his towel so he couldnt hear me laughing at his drama!) The drama only last until the lesson is over. He then returns to his normal, cooperative, adorable, easy going self. It's almost creepy how it turns off and on like a light switch. He will even calmly discuss his bad choices and how he does not like swim.

Wish us luck with the rest of this week. I am trying out a new reinforcer (3 good choices at swim practice days = bowling) so we will see how that goes. The kid knows his stuff, he just does not want to cooperate.