Swim Meet

As a Parent Coach I work with parents to make positive adjustments that will enhance their relationship with their child(ren).  I almost always blog from the viewpoint of the parent… Yet today I want to blog through the eyes of the child.  I was inspired to do this after volunteering to time kids at a local swim meet.   As each child came to the swim platform my co-timer would ask their name and would check it against the master list.  I would ask them how they were feeling and nervous would almost always be the answer.  ‘I’m nervous because I’m swimming against older kids, I’m nervous because I don’t know how to dive very well, I’m nervous because I’m not sure i can make it there and BACK…’ We even had a swimmer come to the platform in tears – she was nervous for all the reasons above and then some.   Of course we would remind them that this is just for fun, that they could even jump in if they wanted too, that they could go from the side of the pool and not the platform and so forth.  Oh and I told them that I use to be a lifeguard and even though I was wearing my jeans I would be the first to jump in and save them if they didn’t think they could make it!  So as each swimmer returned, they held the side and looked up and I would say, ‘YOU DID IT, HOW DO YOU FEEL?’  Regardless of whether they were first, last or somewhere in between every swimmer had that moment when they realized they did something that they were a little bit afraid to do… And every swimmer had a smile from ear to ear, as they all answered ‘GREAT.’  It was heartwarming and endearing and refreshing to see that every child holds a spark inside of them for their own ability to accomplish something that feels bigger than themselves.  Sometimes I want to achieve things that are bigger then myself too and I when I feel nervous I will think back to the smiles on those kids faces as they dove, jumped, or rocketed off the platform and went there and back even though they feared their own ability to do so.

“It’s impossible” said pride.  “It’s risky” said experience. “It’s pointless” said reason.  “Give it a try” whispered the heart.

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