My son doesn't know how to swim. He's 11. Which basically makes me a crap mom. As a toddler, he loved the water. Thinking I was doing the right thing, I put him in swimming lessons when he was 2 or maybe 3 years old. I believe it was traumatic for him because he rarely wanted to get in the water after that summer. I figured he'd grow out of it and as he got older and saw how much fun his friends had in the water that he'd want to do it. Well, he never did.
Three years ago, I put him in swimming lessons again. To no avail. He knew nothing more and still wanted no part of getting in a pool after that week than he did on day one. This summer, I figured I'd force him in swimming lessons again. Maybe with someone older this time who did it at her home. The teacher 3 years ago was a young girl just starting college who did it at a club. Maybe that would make a difference.
He goes to Florida on vacation with my aunt and her family every summer. While they were there early this month, they talked about him trying swimming lessons again with the person that my cousin had sent her two boys. The cousin with the almost 4 year old (4months younger than Blake should be) and a 2 yr. old. My son told me he was willing to go to this person since Chris (the almost 4yr. old) can swim really well.
I was thrilled! He was willing. My aunt would pay for it. He'd finally be able to swim confidently. The solution I've been waiting for!
Weeks had passed and nothing had been done about the lessons. So when I saw my cousin this week, I asked her about it. She said she had just forgotten since she was in a whirlwind working on her sister's shower (see previous post) and that she'd call the girl the next day. I asked her for more info like the price, how she liked it, about the girl and the location. It turns out that it is the same person that my son went to 3 years ago.
My heart just sank. Just another moment in my life where things just seem to turn to shit. Yeah, I know I'm being melodramatic. But, really? I said "Oh well, never mind. This has me so bummed out. I can't believe it's the same person. I really had high hopes." She said, "Really? You're sure it's the same person. Out at such-and-such club?" I said "Yeah, I sent him three years ago. I remember because Kasey was a month old and we sat there and sweated our butts off the entire time."
And here's the kicker. Since there always seems to be one. She continued to carry on about how much her boys loved it and that Chris swims like a fish and her 2 yr. old is so comfortable in the water and how great the girl is and how she did it at the beginning of the summer so the pool wasn't very crowded and how the place is kind of far but it was definitely worth it and how they went every day for a week and how much it was and again how great of a swimmer Chris is and how much fun he had in Florida and how important she felt it was for them to learn how to swim at this age so they could enjoy the water and how they can swim so fabulously and on an on.
And the way I read this is her saying "I'm better than you because my boys can swim and you suck."
Because there's always a competition in parenthood. I figure next time (cuz there will be a next time), I'll simply tell her, "I don't think you realize what you're doing. You don't need to remind me how much better of a mother you are. It's not a competition. But you win. You've won already. In the only competition that matters. Your 4 year old is alive and mine is dead. So you are the better mother just on that point alone. So just shut the fuck up!"
Do you think that would work?
Missing Blake always,
Laine
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