The High Dive...

Alex started swimming lessons at the local community pool this week. The first day we arrived and they told her to stand on her number. Well I wasn’t sure what her number was or where these numbers were so I look up to ask a lifeguard about the numbers and I look down to tell Alex and she wasn’t by my side anymore. I look at my friends and ask “where’s Alex?” and when they didn’t answer I ask with more concern in my voice as I’m scanning the bottom of the deep end, “WHERE’S ALEX?!” I then look up and she’s almost to the top of the high dive ladder. Well that didn’t take her long, apparently she’s not afraid of heights but who knows what she would’ve done had she gotten to the top. Not only is she not aloud in the pool during open swim time, but there was no one there to catch her if she actually jumps off. So I finally convince her to climb back down and wait on her number for her teacher to come. During the lesson her teacher tells the kids that if they’re good this week she will let them go down the slide and off of the diving board. So Alex tells me this afterwards and includes the “high dive” on the list of things they get to do at the end of the week. She’s very excited and tells everyone that she is going to go off of the high dive. Being concerned that she would be disappointed when this option wasn’t presented to her I asked her teacher if it’s even safe for a three year old to go off of the high dive. I was concerned she might rotate into an awkward position and have a rather painful landing. Well her teacher “Miss. Kelsey” insures me that she’s had a couple of three year olds jump off of the high dive before and just instructs them to stay straight like a pencil when they jump. So I tell Alex that I asked her teacher and she said that at the end of the week, she will let her jump off of the high dive and catch her when she jumps. Alex starts to say, “but I just want” and I’m thinking, “what? She just wants to go off of the low dive? Just the slide? Is she chickening out already?” then she finishes the sentence, “but I just want…to go off by myself”. Well it is now the end of the week and she had fun, going down the slide and jumping off of the low dive then they all got in line to go off of the high dive. Alex’s friend is first in line and quickly gives up her position so she can watch Alex go off first.
Alex gladly accepts and doesn’t hesitate as she climbs the ladder and walks out to the end of the board. She looks down and this is when I figure she’ll start to shake her head and inch her way backwards. Well her teacher yells up, “stay straight like a pencil, one…two…three” and Alex leaps into the air. I couldn’t believe it! I know I would’ve second guessed myself at that age. She climbs out of the pool with a surprised look on her face like she can’t believe it herself. I congratulate her on what a good job she did and she just smiles and admits “I was a little bit scared”.