This summer is Aid's summer. The very first thing we did upon changing back to the Y was to go swimming. And the first thing Aid did is run up to measure himself. He was just under. Just. He nervously asked the lifeguard what the test was to be able to go down the slide. He had to float on his stomach and his back for 5 seconds. This does not sound terribly hard, but we spent at least an hour practicing and timing him before he asked to take the test.
I went with him. (He had to do it in the deep pool.) I was probably more nervous then he was and reminded him to count to five in his head before coming up. Then I held my breath. He completely made the stomach float, but struggled a bit more with the back float. He probably made 4 seconds if we're being brutally honest, but I think the lifeguard had been watching him practice and saw how much he wanted it..and that he clearly wasn't going to drown.
The lifeguard gave him the wristband. He is officially able to go down that slide. There has been one other lifeguard who doesn't think he is tall enough but the lifeguard who passed him has his back. (If you are not tall enough the test is that you have to float on your stomach and your back for ten seconds and then tread water for 30. WTF? For a half an inch?)
I was sure that my first born was going to be nervous once he got to the top. He always is. So we swam over to the slide so I could show him (and the cranky lifeguard) that he could touch just in case he panicked on the way down. We talked about how it can feel super high but it's like any other slide and he should be brave, etc. This was all unnecessary.
He sprinted to the top giving victory waves and thumbs up as he went. I caught the look on his face as he sat down on the slide. He was beaming with pride.
So was I.
