The Torture of Summer Swim Lessons

Our family belongs to the local pool and our children have all learned to swim there.  Currently our three middle girls are in swim lessons.  So, I've been making the morning trek to the pool to sit and watch my little ones agitate the water.  This morning was particularly painful, as it was only 65 degrees outside and heaven knows how cold in the pool.  It had to have been freezing because the littlest ones began whimpering before their tootsies hit the water.  My brave little girl(6) hopped right in and immediately her lips turned a lovely shade of purple.  

I really began to feel sorry for the little ones.  Some of these children are only 2 and 3 years old. Three of the youngest swimmers began crying to get out of the pool, much to the disappointment of their mothers.  All three were plopped forcibly back into the frigid water, kicking and screaming. After several minutes of crying one mother gave up and pulled her two year old daughter out of the pool, as she did so, she let the little girl know she was heading directly home and to bed. Now, I have a two year old; at least he will be next week; and I can't imagine telling him he would go to bed if he didn't get back in the pool.  How could I expect him to understand that? 

A second mother plopped her screaming daughter into the pool and left her there the entire 30 minute class.  That poor little girl cried the entire class and refused to participate in any way, shape, or form.  She just stood there, waist deep, wailing for her mother.  She couldn't have been older than 3.  

The third mom must have threatened her little guy with something pretty powerful.  He stayed in the pool, whimpering the entire class, turning his pitiful little face to his mother with eyes that begged for mercy.  He managed to participate in class between sobs.  The poor lifeguards were in complete distress wondering what to do with the criers.

Poor little dears.