1991. The summer my son learned to swim. I remember clearly the afternoon on the small beach (pictured above) at Myrties on Kalymnos island in Greece. No, I don't remember the moment when I learned to swim, or even when my daughter, who's 1.5 years younger than my son learned to swim, but that day on the beach in Kalymnos will be forever etched in my memory.
Both of my children were born in Greece during the four years my husband and I lived in Athens. We traveled to beaches in Voula, Vouliagmeni, and Varkiza with the kids. From the time my son was 2 years old (photo above), he wore floaties on his arms. Though we never took our eyes off of him in the water, he enjoyed floating and being slightly independent in the water.
Fast forward two years. We're staying a week on that beautiful island in the first photo. He's 4 years old now. Each afternoon I'd put the floaties on his arms, and he would put his googles on and float, looking for fish in the water. He'd pop up to tell me what he saw. One afternoon, he didn't put the floaties on. He floated, just like every other day, but this time, without the floaties. After about an hour of floating, playing, and exploring (with me keeping a vigilant watch), he came back to the towel. I asked him, "Did you forget anything?" He looked at me with a puzzled look on his face. I pointed to his arms. He looked at me, and a big grin quickly spread from ear to ear. He screamed, "I was swimming--all by myself!"
Fast forward two years. We're staying a week on that beautiful island in the first photo. He's 4 years old now. Each afternoon I'd put the floaties on his arms, and he would put his googles on and float, looking for fish in the water. He'd pop up to tell me what he saw. One afternoon, he didn't put the floaties on. He floated, just like every other day, but this time, without the floaties. After about an hour of floating, playing, and exploring (with me keeping a vigilant watch), he came back to the towel. I asked him, "Did you forget anything?" He looked at me with a puzzled look on his face. I pointed to his arms. He looked at me, and a big grin quickly spread from ear to ear. He screamed, "I was swimming--all by myself!"
From that point on, he swam more and more every day, and with our future trips to Greece (including Santorini in 2004 above), and swimming lessons through the YMCA in Florida, he became a strong enough swimmer to be a lifeguard at a water park in Orlando the summer that he graduated from high school.
Do you remember when you learned to swim?
If you don't know how to swim, do you want to learn?
Let me know in a comment below!
Do you remember when you learned to swim?
If you don't know how to swim, do you want to learn?
Let me know in a comment below!