Latest News

A Swimtastic Toddler Achievement!

My daughter can swim! Thank you Y and all the thousands of people who made this possible. From her very patient swim coaches to the 4 year old who was doing the flip dives off the wall. The 4 year old being the most instrumental in my daughter going from sink to swim. As was her friend Chloe. Chloe was showing off her swimming and then my daughter wanted to do it too. If Penelope were invited to a wedding she’d be the one wearing the larger and frillier white gown.

My daughter wants to do everything other kids do, but better. It’s a pattern and I am praying her high school friends are the kind who enjoy doing math equations for fun. My daughter will either solve the Riemann Hypothesis, or alternatively with the wrong friends, she’ll be the one able to roll cigarettes with her toes, while blindfolded and riding a horse.

But back to my daughter swimming. I am so relieved by this. Michael Phelps has nothing to worry about but my daughter can swim at least 10 feet to the wall. I am also overjoyed that I was there to see it. As a working mom, I have a 5 in 7 chance of missing anything cool and new she does. But she swam for me. I am so glad I don’t have to pry her off me anymore.

As a Florida mom, when was she going to swim was as worrisome as when my child was going to walk, talk, get her teeth in, or finally work the DVD player herself. In Florida, there’s water everywhere. Malls have fountains. Apartment lobbies have fountains. Homes have pools. Parks have lakes and pools. Beaches have their oceans. Lower Alton Road on Miami Beach lies under 5 feet of water every time it rains. And what I’ve hated for so long, infinity pools which are kid magnets far more dangerous than hormone-laced fried chicken served on a donut or playing with Barbie’s.

She still needs practice but at least now we both know she can do it if she puts her mind to it and blows bubbles instead of drinking the pool water.

My daughter has even upgraded her favorite princess, Ariel ha a new fan. I’l, take that as a plus even though this means I now have to get a some new towels, a new nightgown, new barettes, a new Pez dispenser and a new 5” Princess Fashion set, among other things.