Camp A is the Way

Wyatt started swimming lessons on Monday, and its going surprisingly well!  I say surprising because it took some convincing to get him to get in the pool with someone other than mom or dad.  And by convincing I mean telling him that if he did the whole lesson we would take him to play games that night. The second day we told him we would give him a bell for his bike. Convincing...bribing...same thing, right???

Well, it only took two days and now I can't get him to get out of the pool!  He loves it.  Three days ago he didn't even like to put his head underwater and today she had him holding his breath and going to the bottom of the pool to fetch a dive ring! 

Here are some side notes in this crazy parenting adventure I'm on...

First, I am embarassed to admit that I am officially a "helicopter parent."  And I didn't even realize it.  Monday was the first day of lessons and, as I mentioned, Wyatt wasn't about to get in the water with some college girl no mattter how cute she was. So I stood there (with the other parents, I might add) and bribed him during the lesson.  On Tuesday, however, I (along with the other helicopter parents) were actually asked to take a seat over in the shade and let the kids be.  HELLO, Wake Up Call!  I was mortified.  I have now become the parent that I complained about for 3 years during orientation!!!  Tommy won't stop teasing me about it... first swim lessons, then college advising sessions, he says! Yikes.  I backed off immediately.

Second, apparently being the parent of a 3-year old means waiting in long lines to register your child for events.  And I am tired of it already.  So far, I've stood in line for hours on end at the Sesame Street Live show, Preschool signup, Swim Lesson Registration, and I am about to brave the Soccer Moms at soccer registration here soon. God help me! I have no patience for these things.  Haven't they heard of online registration?

Third, I can't help but smiling every single day at swim lessons, because the college students that teach them are from Camp Adventure.  For those of you who don't know, I did the Camp Adventure program some 12 years ago and was sent to London, England for the summer...where I met my eventual husband-to-be!  It was an amazing summer and the experience of a lifetime. So everytime I see the Camp A girls here on base I just smile.  I told one of them our story at swim lesson sign-up, and she said, "So you mean there's hope for us!?!? (to meet guys, I assume)" It was hysterical.  I hope they know what a great Adventure they are on.  Sooooo many memories!