Treading Water

There is always a phase of starting over with swimming after a long winter off. My son has camp in a week and I want to make sure he can pass his swim test.
So we hit to pool.
We were in the deeper end and Owen was getting ansy. I remembered swim tests where we had tread water for a few minutes. So I tried to teach him. Thinking this was a skill that maybe he would need. You know, in case he is ever shipwrecked or takes up water polo. So I told him to move his arms and legs back and forth underwater.

And like a good teacehr, I attempted to demonstrate. But it I has been a while since I have tried to tread water, meaning I didn’t do it so gracefully.  I’m not sure there is actually a way to do it gracefully. The water wasn’t quite deep enough so I mostly just looked like was drowning. Thrashing about in shoulder deep water.

The life guard kept his eye on me, and Owen just looked at me like I was crazy. And asked,  “So which way do you go?”
“You don’t go anywhere Owen.”

Very puzzled,“ Then, what are you trying to do?”
“Keep my head above water”
“Why don’t you just stand up?”

Swim lesson over, and he went right back to going up and down the slide.

Clearly he was missing the point.

But his almost seven year old wisdom has stayed with me all week.
I have been barely keeping my head above water for a while now.
I’ve been trashing. And kicking.
Not going anywhere.
And I haven’t drowned. But I sure am worn out.
And it never dawned on me just to stand up.