Swimmy Time

We have lived in Florida more than nine years now, and we have been blessed to have a pool for all of that time.  When we bought our house I thought it would be a good way for Emily and Abby to get exercise,  being that gravity is not their friend.  It pulls at their bodies; it holds them in positions their damaged motor cortex's can't counter.  In the pool, with that yucky gravity not a factor, they are free.   

When the girls were little they went to a school that was specially designed for children with disabilities.  They had an indoor heated pool that was a part of their weekly physical therapy.  Parents were invited to join their children during that time.  Of course I was excited about what I was still thinking of as an amenity.  The first time I walked in to the pool area at school, Emily and Abby were about 18 months old.  The giant pool contained six little physically impaired babies wearing special life preservers around their necks that kept only their head above water.  They didn't tip in them like they would in typical flotation devices.  My mouth dropped open at the sight.

I don't mind saying I was horrified.  It looked like a pool full of floating body-less heads.  It was absolutely nothing like I would have pictured "swim therapy" to be.  I thought of slides and balls and cute little animal floaties they would sit in.  Definitely NOT a bunch of bodiless babies floating around like jellyfish.  Noticing the look of horror on my face, the therapist gently said "they're free, for the first time in their lives, they can move on their own.  It doesn't matter what it looks like, only that they can".  I took a breath and deliberately and slightly resentfully stepped further into the world of disabilities as I changed my babies in to their swim suits and strapped on their "head floats". 

When we came to Florida, Emily and Abby rather forcefully let me know that they didn't appreciate the particular brand of "freedom"  I was now offering them.  They hated our outdoor, unheated pool.  They didn't like being held and played with in the pool the way I thought would be fun, and I had a personal vendetta against the floating head. 

This year, as almost always happens in life, I decided to meet my girls on their terms.  I determined that they really needed exercise and I wanted them off of their bottoms for a while.  I made the executive decision to incorporate pool time in to our summer daily schedule.  I strapped on the floating head device and in we all jumped. 

They have done awesome.  Abby loves it, she kicks and moves splashes.  Today she tried to bite the girls floats, which was insanely funny.  Emily needed a little more convincing.  I printed an article for her on the benefits of sunlight and metabolizing vitamin D.  It worked for that funny girl. 

I realize that yet again, if I could get out of the way and take my ideas of life with me, my girls have more fun.  The things that make me feel safe, secure and free are not the things that make them feel that way.  Instead of trying to make them better or look like my other children, I set my foolish pride aside and have fun with my girls the way they can.  I watch their little heads bobbing in the water and the smile on their faces and feel grateful that I can still learn.  I am grateful for children who teach me such great life lessons by simply floating in a pool.