healthy...ish tip: swimming
I'll be the first to admit, I'm not a great swimmer. I wish I were; have you ever watched someone who can really swim? It's so beautiful and graceful. I am not. I could probably save myself in an emergency (maybe), but I don't know any strokes or anything to move nicely in the water like that.
However, it's been such fun this summer because my boys did so well in swimming lessons. Squirt passed the first two levels and Moose was pretty close to passing level 3 (which I hear is the hardest?). He just can't tread (also doesn't care to because he wants to go underwater...), do the butterfly well enough, or dive. Next year hopefully. And as long as they can swim, I don't mind if they pass such-and-such test, to be honest.
I love being in the water with them. Racing them across the pool (the short way), splashing, playing shark or tickling them underwater. It's been such fun.
The one thing that really makes me sad at the pool is moms who sit on the sidelines. I know, I know. Swim suits can be scary - our bodies are NOT what they used to be! But please please don't let that stop you from making water memories! It's so worth and it I believe it's really important to show our children (girls AND boys) a healthy body image.
So what if our bodies aren't perfect? What's perfect anyway? I think our thighs are supposed to touch and maybe our arms are supposed to flap a little (a lot?). I don't know, but I think we need to get over our doubts about our bodies to have fun.
Just today, my boys got out their new slip n' slide and didn't really know how to do it (it's been a few years since we've had one). So what did I do? I tried very hard to explain it with words, and then realized that wouldn't work. I donned my swim suit (even with our semi-busy street and men working just down the block) and ignored everyone else to have fun with my sons. And we had fun!
I encourage you to take a deep breath, go to a retail store and get yourself a swim suit. I'll bet you'll look beautiful. And you'll have fun and smile so that will make you even more beautiful.
There you go.
However, it's been such fun this summer because my boys did so well in swimming lessons. Squirt passed the first two levels and Moose was pretty close to passing level 3 (which I hear is the hardest?). He just can't tread (also doesn't care to because he wants to go underwater...), do the butterfly well enough, or dive. Next year hopefully. And as long as they can swim, I don't mind if they pass such-and-such test, to be honest.
I love being in the water with them. Racing them across the pool (the short way), splashing, playing shark or tickling them underwater. It's been such fun.
The one thing that really makes me sad at the pool is moms who sit on the sidelines. I know, I know. Swim suits can be scary - our bodies are NOT what they used to be! But please please don't let that stop you from making water memories! It's so worth and it I believe it's really important to show our children (girls AND boys) a healthy body image.
So what if our bodies aren't perfect? What's perfect anyway? I think our thighs are supposed to touch and maybe our arms are supposed to flap a little (a lot?). I don't know, but I think we need to get over our doubts about our bodies to have fun.
Just today, my boys got out their new slip n' slide and didn't really know how to do it (it's been a few years since we've had one). So what did I do? I tried very hard to explain it with words, and then realized that wouldn't work. I donned my swim suit (even with our semi-busy street and men working just down the block) and ignored everyone else to have fun with my sons. And we had fun!
I encourage you to take a deep breath, go to a retail store and get yourself a swim suit. I'll bet you'll look beautiful. And you'll have fun and smile so that will make you even more beautiful.
There you go.
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