Constant exposure and repetition built confidence.  Fingers loosed their grip from the reassuring security of the pool edge and children dared venture into the vast unknown.  We had lessons.  We played.  We splashed.  We lived at the pool this summer and my children have reaped the benefits.

It has been difficult to get to the pool this past week with school having started.  A cool front also made it’s way into town and seems to have lingered, yesterday’s high temperatures nearing 74 degrees.  But Tuesday before the cool weather arrived, we hit the pool.  I’m glad we did.

Zoë, who has been struggling with a proper dive all summer long, decided she was going to try a front flip.  No urging or coaching.  She just stepped up onto the diving board and announced, “I’m gonna do a flip!”  And then proceeded to do it.  She smacked a couple of times but undaunted, kept going back.  A few pointers and some minor adjustments and the girl had it down.

As fortune would have it–I had my camera.  This was taken after her initial rounds of 4 or 5 practices.  As you will see, her confidence literally exploded.  Oh, and she’s not particularly camera shy, either.

We will certainly miss going to the pool.