My youngest grandson Noah Fredrick was about three years old when the movie FINDING NEMO came out on DVD. From the time when Noah was old enough to watch a cartoon or movie, we chose wholesome and educational stories for him. I think Noah was about three years old when the original movie was released and of course, we bought it for him. We have watched that tape until it literally wore thin!
Noah has always loved water of any kind beginning with the bath and then the bathtub. It was especially fun when Miss Kitty, his first kitten, jumped into the water with him on a number of occasions. Most cats do not like water. We had to find a new home for Miss Kitty because Noah is allergic to cats. Bummer!
When he got a little bigger, we allowed
Noah to play in the sprinkler and when
he discovered the hose on the front patio,
nobody was safe from being completely
soaked. Not only did Noah water my
flowers and the FROG that lives on the
patio every Summer, but he watered himself
and any person or object that he could reach with the hose, also!
Two years ago, my daugher Kathy signed him up for swimming lessons at the local Acquatic Center. It is a very high tech facility, well-planned and well- staffed with helpful people. College age and high school girls give two weeks of swimming lessons to very young children for two weeks early in the Summer and late in the Summer. Noah was enrolled in the first session last year and entered at Level I. He had to wear a lifejacket and although the classes were small (about five children to a group) he was a little scared of the water at first. I think it was a good introduction to swimming, but he didn’t do really well the first time. We wondered if he would have to repeat the Level I or if he would be promoted to Level II although he couldn’t do everything required at the end of the first round of lessons.
I have a close friend who lives in a nice apartment complex with a well-kept swimming pool and she kindly extended an invitation for us to come over and swim last Summer whenever we could make it. I saw this as a blessing and was determined to get him in the water as much as possible to get him past the fear of getting his head under, etc. We started with a good pair of goggles (Speedo’s) and I covered him with sunscreen and two different kinds of lifejackets. Unfortunately, neither lifejacket worked well for him, so we ended up with me getting into the pool with TWO COATS OF SUNSCREEN and a long-sleeved T-shirt over my swimming suit. There was very little shade in that pool but we tried to go late in the afternoon and early evening so the sun wasn’t so full over us. I would stand in the three foot part of the pool and coax him down the two or three steps and he finally didn’t want anything to do with the lifejackets at all. Noah wasn’t very tall, so I did need to be right by him at all times and then, WALLA! he began to JUMP into the pool into my arms, exhibiting great courage for Noah. He can be a little shy in new situations.
My friend has two neices who swim at the pool frequently with her and they brought water toys and brightly colored sponge darts which they would throw to the bottom of the pool and dive down to retrieve them. When Noah saw the girls putting their heads under the water, he decided to try it. After a few tries, he was able to get the darts with no trouble and learned to float. I kept this up most of the month of August and by the end of last season, he was jumping off the edge of the three foot water–no problem! I think this helped him conquer the fear and I was confident he could safely go into Level II this year.
When Kathy told me she had signed him for both sessions, I was surprised he would be starting Level II nearly the day after Kindergarten classes dismissed.
I thought it was a little early weather-wise but I prayed God would keep him well so he could benefit from the early lessons. I took him the first day of the lessons and found the facility clean and ready for the children. . .his teacher is Miss Maddie, a sweet young woman who took to Noah right away. Noah was very ready this time and listened intently as she instructed her six youngsters to keep one hand on the side of the pool and listen to all she said. Only one very short little girl wore a lifejacket. And Miss Maddie had a helper, also to keep an eye on every child. I sat on the deck chair about ten feet from where they were conducting the class and watched and asked the LORD to help the children learn well their lessons. Noah was so advanced from the previous year, I was both pleased and surprised but especially glad he was really LISTENING and DOING exactly what the teacher asked of the kids. And Miss Maddie let Noah be first in the line-up as she individually worked with each child on the specific thing she was teaching them. He would perform the task required and then turn around to see if I was watching and I would wave at him and encourage him. I clapped for the other children, also. Children need a lot of encouragement and support in these days, in my opinion. I’m going to be a cheerleader for them as often as I can.
I will have Noah two days a week all Summer to help save money on the daycare costs, Thursdays and Fridays. I took him again this morning as we are nearing the end of the two weeks this Friday. (The other days, the daycare teachers take them on their little yellow school bus.) The children are very orderly and well supervised and love their yellow bus–it’s a smaller-sized one. The lessons are at 9:30 a.m., so we have plenty of time for breakfast, etc. before going to the pool. When we arrived this morning, Noah stopped to look at a little bird perched on top of the entrance to the pool. “Look, Nan, that little guy is up there watching us and opening his mouth to sing for us and say Good Morning!” Noah is very tuned in to nature and appreciates the things God made for us to enjoy. He especially likes anything little or tiny. He’s very sharp and notices everything around him. I think that is a gift. He stops to smell the flowers and picks up treasures like feathers and pine cones, etc. He also likes rocks of any kind.
Finally, we went on in to our class spot. Noah looked down at my flip-flops and said, “Look, Nan! Speedo’s, just like my goggles. It’s a match.” He turned his goggles over and said, “Oh, made in China!” I found that amusing because we haven’t had any discussions about ”made in China” ever but he can read now, so he reads EVERYTHING he sees. The other kids were already heading for the water. Miss Maddie welcomed them and placed Noah Fredrick at the front of the line again. Her helper was there and the teachers reviewed all their exercises more than once. After a time, Miss Maddie said “Noah, I’m going to give you a new name. . .I’m going to call you ‘Nemo’. You are going around here like a fast little fish! Yes, like Nemo!” Noah didn’t know what to say. He was smiling from ear to ear and just kept swimming under water, broad strokes out to the sides and gliding along swiftly and with very strong legwork. Then Miss Maddie waved to me and said they were going over into the deeper four foot depth with lanes and invited me to walk around and watch them over there. Of course, I was glad to go and see them get in the deeper water. The teacher was going to teach them how to tread water today. I was praying for God to keep them all safe and give Noah courage.
One student at a time, she introduced each one to the new routine and each attempted twice to do the exercise. The water was deep for them but her arms quickly undergirded when they began to sink and they all did well a couple of times each with the new exercise. Then we all went back to the original site of the three foot depth. Noah was definitely in his element now and she kept calling him “Nemo” and he didn’t want to get out of the water when the lesson was over. He asked her if he could go over to the next section to “see about the plate at the bottom of the pool. . .” she gave him permission and he swam under the plastic dividers with ease and clear over to what he thought was a “plate” at the bottom of the pool, another three foot pool. He stood up and shouted, “Nan! It’s just a drain. It’s not a plate!” I nodded okay and he went back to the other side of the dividers and got out of the water. It was cold when the kids came out and I met him with a big beach towel. “Nan, would you mind if I rest a little on the deck chair?” he asked. “That would be fine,” I said and all the other children followed suit. Six little swimmers lying on their deck chairs trying to get warm.
I put his goggles into the beach bag and found a box of jelly beans. I handed them to Noah. “Nan, would you mind if I share these with my friends?” he asked politely. “I think that would be lovely, Noah Fredrick.” Now there were five little children waiting in line for a turn to put their hands in the box and take out a couple of jelly beans. Noah was beaming! He loves to share with his friends!
When we left the pool, he stopped to say goodbye to his little bird that was still sitting on the top of the entrance gate. “We’ll see you tomorrow,” he called to the bird as it flew away. After we got in the car, he told me when they went to the deeper water his stomach felt a little sick, so he decided he would just do it! It was obvious to me that God had answered my prayers this morning. We called his mother and she had a surprise for Noah. She is taking the day off tomorrow as a low census day so she can take Noah to his last lesson this session and watch him swim. He was so happy when he hung up the phone. “Mom’s coming to see me swim!” he squealed. I am thanking God for my daughter who is a loving and caring mother to her only child, a single mom who knows the importance of putting her son first in things essential and a precious little grandson who is learning so many things and growing up fast. Noah will be six years old the end of this month. I am proud of his zest for life and the respect he has for all the things You placed on the earth, Heavenly Father. Thank You for my grandson, Noah Fredrick. I cherish all the times I have with him and I understand what You mean when You say: “And a little child shall lead them.”
