A boy, a pool, and a bribe

One of the things that I really wanted to do for the boys this summer was swimming lessons. I figured it would be a good way to get the older boys improving their strokes, the younger boys to be more comfortable in the pool, and all of the boys tired.
Josh, even though he is comfortable taking a dip in Aunt Jessica's pool, was very nervous about swim lessons. I was trying to be very hands off during lessons (from my own experience in teaching swimming and teaching in general, it just seems to work better when the parents aren't involved) but the first two lessons consisted of a lot of screaming and crying with very little actual swimming.
When it was getting time for the third lesson, and the crying and demanding were already starting, I decided that I needed to change tactics. I promised to stay closer (15 feet away and still on the pool deck as opposed to 50 yards away in the viewing stands with the other parents) and a bribe. I generally try to avoid bribes, those are Daddy's domain, but I figured that it could work this time.
"If you go to all of your swim lessons and don't cry and listen to your teachers I'll buy you a toy."
"A big toy?"
"Um, how about a Sponge Bob toy?"
"A Sponge Bob walkie walkie?"
"Um, sure!"
So this time he joined his class at the side of the pool with just a little verbal encouragement,


where he quickly asked to ride on his teacher's back, clinging on like a little monkey.

When he got to the wall, he was looking a little nervous, so mom gave him a big thumbs up and took a picture, which if you have children you will know, will cause the smile response. The smile response being the involuntary action children will produce when they see a camera pointed at them, wither or not they actually are happy.

Latter, after more praise from teachers and mom, we try out the swim noodle,

finally ending on the kick-board.

Mission accomplished! An entire thirty minutes of swim class with out any crying, screaming, wailing, running away, or any other reaction to make me regret the $45 dollars I spent on swim lessons.

Now all I have to do is find a Sponge Bob walkie-talkie. I sure hope that someone makes one or I'll have to resort to a generic set with added Sponge Bob stickers.