Nice Warm Water

Been swimming with the kids for the past 2 days (AN went 4 days in a row since Saturday) and by now both love the water.

AN had been swimming in the deep pool for 3 days and the baby pool no longer speaks to her.

She splashes her way around and doesn't fear even if she's away from the side of the pool (under supersivion of course! She cannot swim and is only learning to keep herself alive for as long as possible as of now).

She has learnt to float on her back and it's a life saver. If she ever falls into the pool or finds herself too far from help, she can float to breath before swimming back to safety. She can track quite well too (tiring but she likes to do that). Her strokes are erm....just enough to bring her somewhere. Work on that as we go along.

ER feared the water for a long time (both my kids started off fearing water, even when showering -___-"). He wouldn't even step into the baby pool without us (which is not such a bad thing. One can only drown once, right?)

But as he watches AN splash around, dipping in and out from the surface of the pool, he is inspired.

We did a "group dunk" when we all hold our breath and dipped our heads into the water to blow bubbles. ER held his breath. He'll learn. hehe.

And watching AN float effortlessly on her back made him want to try that too. He lies on his back but his body stiffens up and he sinks because he wasn't totally flat on his back. hehe. He's loosening up though (as little).

I like the water the last 2 days I brought them there.

The water has always been COLD. That first time I went swimming, I shivered every single minute, even when I was underwater. I didn't get used to the temperature of the water. It was almost freezing cold and the strong winds blowing along the tunnel back and forth at the pool didn't warm me up.

I gave up joining up in the pool for the next 9 months.

Water was warm and nice on Monday (Sunday too, according to daddy) and I went in to swim with them (ER was happy coz he could imitate AN while clinging onto me for safety).

No swimming today (for the sake of my hair and AN's. hehe). Kids need better goggles because the one AN has doesn't cushion around her eyes well. They either fall off when loosened or leaves 2 big swollen rims around her eyes after swimming.

I still want to put them in swimming classes. Effectively, AN still cannot swim. They both just do not fear the water anymore.

p.s. (negative rant)
ER was excited when he told her "Nai nai I can swim. I not scared of water."

She was watching TV and spared him little attention with eyes fixed to her show.

After ER repeated several times those same words, she replied in frustration: "我听不懂你讲什么啦!“.

So encouraging.

And this same woman criticised me for losing my patience with him when he screams alien language during tantrums. She criticised me for not listening to them and said that I am unreasonable.

She doesn't even HEAR him when he speaks clearly to her. But she has the cheeks to jump at me for getting upset at him when I have to deal with the screaming kid who's not speaking human.

So cool right?

I KNOW "SHE'S LEAVING SOON". You can stop reminding me that. Instead, tell her over and over again to stop throwing stones at me till she's blameless herself.

The same one who tells my daughter that I'm messy with their clothes do not have keep her own wardrobe space neat and tidy herself.

The same one who got chased out of her daughter's house has the cheeks to gossip that my mum gets upset with me for being too harsh with the kids (yet my relationship with my mum is still going strong, unlike hers with her daughter's).

The same one who rolls her eyes at how unreasonable I am with my kids during their hissy fits used to slap the nieces on their cheeks and cane them so hard the teacher had to call up their mother (her daughter) to ensure there hadn't been any child abuse going on at home.

I am unreasonable but I love my children. I am doing my best and I do not need criticism from someone who cannot even set her own records straight.

"LEAVING SOON" gives her no rights to tell my kids "mummy doesn't love you if you misbehave'.

I have to continually undo potential damage she causes and assure them that I love them even when I'm angry at their misbehavior.

Anger DOESN'T EQUAL lack of love.

I THOUGHT SHE'S VERY WISE AND KNOWS EVERYTHING AFTER THAT COUNSELLING COURSE? IF THAT IS SO, CAN I ASSUME SHE DELIBERATELY TOLD MY KIDS I DO NOT LOVE THEM WHEN THEY DO NOT BEHAVE???????

What other excuse do you have for her this time? Still that she doesn't know what she's saying?

She's leaving. So what?