With winter quickly approaching, it’s time to start thinking about signing up for winter activities. Usually, we do swimming lessons in the summer, but we missed out last year, so we’re planning on getting some lessons in over the winter. It’s important for both sighted and blind children to know how to swim, and both boys have been taking lessons since they were very young.

Our approach to swimming lessons is a bit different for each boy. Trenton takes lessons in a traditional group setting with one teacher and a small group of 6-8 kids, while we decided on private one-on-one lessons for Titus. We reached out to Titus’ TVI for guidance in selecting the right instructor and help in applying for a grant through our state school for the blind foundation.

One big hurdle we had to overcome was Titus’ intense fear of water. We were warned when we adopted him that he was terrified of water, even baths. To help him get over his fear, we let him explore and play in the tub without water. I hoped that if he could feel the tub with his hands, see the faucet and drain, it wouldn’t be as scary. Slowly, we introduced water, and eventually, his fear of bath time disappeared. He even started to enjoy it.

Now it was time to tackle his fear of a much larger body of water – the pool. We talked a lot about swimming and pools, pretending to swim in the bathtub, and even having his toys take swimming lessons. When the day came to get in the pool, we took a similar approach as we did with the bathtub. We let him walk around the pool to see how big it was, feel the diving boards, and the drains with his feet. He was hesitant at first, but with patience, we were able to get him in the pool. Throughout the process, the instructor and I described everything he was experiencing to help him feel more comfortable.

Titus used to be scared of water, but now he’s a total water bug! He loves swimming, holding his breath underwater, and splashing around. We have an above-ground pool that we practically live in during the summer.

We recently went to a pool party where the kids had to show they could swim in the deep end witthout life jackets. Most of them couldn’t make it without touching the sides, but Titus aced the test. I was so proud of him, and he was beaming with pride too. He really impressed all the adults with his swimming skills. We always say, Titus can do anything, sometimes it is just different.

If you want your kids to learn how to swim, talk to your TVI for some tips. It’s not only great exercise, but it’s also a blast for the whole family. Get out there and make a splash!