The Big Picture Philosophy Tested

The Big Picture... the philosophy behind this blog which dictates that our goal is that we are happy and healthy. If not, maybe we're doing something wrong and we should take a second look at the situation. 

Apparently this was a test week. I'd signed Matthew up for another session of swimming lessons and it was the first day. He'd been fussy for the last few weeks of the previous session but I hoped with the break that he'd be as enthusiastic as he once was. For the first 5 minutes that thought seemed to hold up... he enthusiastically sang along with the teacher, performing the skills wonderfully and blowing bubbles through his nose for the first time... then it went downhill from there (okay - truth told it simply crashed). The rest of the class was an exercise of futility. Talking to the teacher at the end of the class, she suggested perhaps he was bored and tired of the songs but that he obviously loved the water and swimming. He's already done two sessions at the Sea Turtle level and was advanced to the Sea Otter level, however he can't start the level until he's turning three.

Leaving feeling frustrated and tired, I wasn't sure what do. Do I continue the class hoping that things get better? Do I let him quit? Do I enrol him in something else? We'd found a gymnastics class just the day before that we thought he'd love, but would he really? What about the added expense? My husband and I talked through the options that evening. First off we decided to withdraw him from swimming... if he wasn't happy, what's the point? We'll register him in a more advanced classes when he's old enough and see how he is when he is being challenged in an unparented class. Then the pros and cons were debated for gymnastics. In the end we decided to take the chance with the gymnastics - we think he'll love it and, it being a Calgary winter, having an active inside class was a good idea.

The decision feels right. We're not quitting swimming but waiting for a more challenging program and we'll still go to open swim to swim and play. The pool was very understanding and only charged us for the one class we attended (crediting the rest of the fee to our account). We got the last spot in the time slot that we wanted for gymnastics and he's all set to start next week. Only time will see what happens but for today we're happy and that is "The Big Picture".