The Joy of Swimming

This is my entry to the BritMums Joy of Swimming Competition, sponsored by British Gas.


Swimming memories...I have lots of wonderful swimming memories – my dad teaching me, my mums face as my little brother chose to swim underwater before above it, braving the British seas on family holidays and always always insisting you weren't cold and didn't need to come out – despite having blue lips and being covered in goose bumps. One of favourite things in the world is to swim in the sea, I find it so peaceful and relaxing... you won't often find me by a hotel pool!

My swimming memory I have chosen may not sound like it should be a joyous one but strangely I always look back at it happily. It was all very exciting to me at the time and the memory always brings me a smile.

I can't remember how old I was - perhaps 5ish - I could swim, just not that strongly. We were on the holiday of our dreams visiting Disney in America and were at the Wet and Wild water park for the day. I was having fun swimming in the pool, I think my older sister and dad were in there too, it was pretty busy and my mum was sitting out with my baby brother. Now don't ask me why but we had no idea it was a wave pool... until the waves began to start. I thought it was really funny when they started, then the pool started to feel very crowded and very deep and as I went up and right down it wasn't long before I wasn't too sure about it, then just blackness.

The next thing I remember was waking up in an American mans arms and being handed to my worried or maybe more embarrassed mum! I don't even think I told anyone I had passed out, I was so worried I'd never be allowed in any of the pools again. I paddled with my brother on the beach bit of the pool instead while the waves were on after that.

Looking back I always think how these memories make me realise how different I was as a child. I never complained of illness or injury (I once skied a whole day with a broken arm) and just didn't have that sense of fear. I just wanted to get back in the water! These days I'm all up for a bit of sympathy!

It's such a shame you lose that as you get older, but I guess it's necessary for survival... and so that you are able to be responsible watch out for your own fearless child I guess.

I love watching my daughter swimming she just has so much excitement in the water. At 2 half I have just managed to get her over her bizarre fear of inflatable things to wear some armbands. She loved it! And kept begging me to let go so she could swim on her own...hmmm. No fear in her yet either then!!


My water baby