Things to bring for swim class

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Summer is once again here. And whether we like frolicking in the heat or not, we have to make at least our kiddo's summer fun-filled! Are you planning to enroll your kids to swimming lessons? Here is a checklist that you should bring with you:

1. swimsuit or swimming trunks

2. sunblock

3. fluffy towels

4. goggles

5. swim board

6. swim ring (beginners)

7. fins (advanced)

8. swim diapers (babies)

Don't forget to look for a reliable swim coach before heding on to the pool.

Summer is here

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It's just the first week of March but the summer heat is very much present already. Time to bring out the shorts and sleeveless tops. Time for me to look for fun summer activities for RJ. Swimming should be first on the list. He really ought to swim again. He always have continuous sneezing in the morning because of allergic rhinitis. He never had that problem when he was still a member of his school's swim team.

And speaking of swimming, I should also learn how to swim.

RJ's sports activities

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RJ has already tried different sports. And there’s more on his list (of sports activities that he wants to enroll in).

When he was 2 years old, I enrolled him in swim class at Rizal Memorial Stadium with my 6 month old niece. My mom will surely get mad at me and my sister, if ever she read this, since she doesn’t know that we enrolled my niece also. 

At 3 years old, his dad bought golf clubs for him. RJ, once in a while, accompany his dad in the driving range.

this is for sale, who wants to buy?

At 5 years old, we enrolled RJ in his school’s soccer club. But he’s so talkative, he finds time to talk with the other kids and doesn’t concentrate on the game. His dad jokingly told him, “Son, this is not golf so you don’t have to do ‘business talks’ with the other kids while playing.”

At 5 years old also, he tried out for his school’s swim team - he got in! He was also part of basketball club every Wednesday.

At 8 years old, he got “bored” with swimming. They train everyday and joins swim competition every weekend. So I allowed him to focus on basketball instead.

This year at 10 years old, he’s into soccer again.

And he wants to enroll in baseball next year.

That’s my son’s sports adventures, what sports does your child like?

How to make a perfect dive

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I saw this picture while browsing for something to write about. RJ, with his yellow school swim team cap, all ready and waiting for the signal to dive and swim during a competition. A clean, perfect dive is really important for a swimmer to get a good swim result. Because even if one can swim fast, if his dive is not clean, then his result standing will suffer. That can also mess up the team's standing in the overall ranking.

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to make a perfect dive in competitive swimming (livestrong.com)

Step 1

Curl your toes over the edge of the starting block. Bring your hands down and take hold of the block.

Step 2

Shift your weight to the rear. You need to propel all your body weight forward as soon as you hear the starter's pistol. To get the greatest depth on your dive, have all your weight and momentum to the rear so you can bring it forward when the starter shoots the pistol.

Step 3

Listen for the starter's pistol and then propel your body as low, far and as flat as you can. Drive your hands into the water, joining them to help you cut through the water.

Step 4

Hold on to your glide as long as possible. Keep your hands and head in the water as long as you can. In order to get the full value of your start, continue to glide and then begin to stroke and kick.

RJ still needs practice to do a perfect dive. Practice makes perfect so I know he'll be ready the next time he joins a swimming competition.

      

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A Day At The Beach

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We went to a beach resort, 45-minute drive from our house, last Saturday. May is a rainy month on this island already but it was surprisingly very sunny that day. Swimming on the beach and building a sand castle are included on RJ’s to-do list this summer break so he was very happy that day. The water was so clear and there were small fishes swimming near the shoreline.

I was the official photographer slash videographer of the group. I was planning to upload everything that I took while we were still in the resort so everyone who wasn’t able to come can see how the kids had a great time at the beach. But aside from the fact that I forgot to bring the laptop, the resort does not have an internet connection also.

RJ wants to spend another day at the beach, a different beach. But he’s the only one in the family who’s still on vacation. The school year, in most school’s in the country, has officially opened yesterday. RJ’s school opening is on June 15. He has to wait for a school break, and for the rainy season to end -maybe in November, he can have another fun day at the beach.

UPLB's Baker Hall

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You're looking at Baker Hall. If you're a student or you've graduated from University of the Philippines at Los Banos, I'm sure you're familiar with this place. This is one of the oldest building in the university and serves as the campus gymnasium.

Baker Hall was named after Charles Fuller Baker. He was the Dean of Agriculture during the pre-war era. The building serves as a Japanese Internment camp during World War II where 2,500 Filipino and American soldiers suffered for 2 years. The prisoners were released on February 23, 1945 when Hunter's ROTC Guerillas (an irregular military unit) seized and finally took control of the Japanese camp.

I was once a student of UPLB. Whenever we visit, my son swims in the pool. Can you spot him in the picture?

my son's summer activities

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My son's school was one of the earliest to end school year 2010-2011. I made a list of summer activities for him but just as the saying goes -the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray. These are his daily activities:

I bought a table easel, poster paint and lots of bond papers for him. He has a boxful of watercolors, colored pencils and crayons. I have been buying second hand art books for kids, so he has lots of those also in his bookshelf. I enrolled him in an art class, at Museo Pambata, last summer vacation but I wasn't satisfied. Although RJ did enjoy making arts and crafts, the lessons were appropriate for preschoolers and he 's already 8 years old at that time.

I've noticed that he sneezes nonstop  in the morning and easily gets cough and colds since he stopped swimming June 2010. He started swimming when he was just 2, trains with a swim team daily and has been joining swimming competitions. I didn't want him to hate swimming so I allowed him to have a swim-break for a year. Since the start of summer break he's been swimming daily again.

Basketball during weekends.

Running at night.

And we watched Kaos. If you haven't yet, do watch it. My son had so much fun watching the acrobats and magical illusions. I'm 101% sure your kids will love it too.

We will have a one month vacation in the province next month. Hopefully I can find a good tennis coach and will also enrol him in guitar and piano lessons.

 

library or sports center

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My son is a certified bookworm. He has a vast collection of books and magazines. I can't say no whenever he wants to buy a new book because I myself love books.

Recently he doesn't go to the library anymore whenever he still has some free time after recess and lunch. He spends the remaining time in the sports center playing tag, basketball or soccer with his friends.

I can't help but tell him, "You're missing out on the new books in the library."

geronimo stilton books; one of RJ's favorite

He assured me that I shouldn't worry that he's losing interest in books. He reads in the house, even in the bathroom! So I should just let him spend more time in the sports center, after school, because he also needs to exercise. Playing soccer, table tennis and running around in the sports center will make up for whatever exercise he's missing from swim training. Hopefully, he can again join the training of the school varsity next year.

trying to break a world record

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The Philippines again tried breaking a world record the past two days. The event was held at Diliman Preparatory School in Quezon City. The Peace and Unity swimming event challenged a Guinness world swimming record for most number of swimmers in a non-stop 24-hour marathon relay.

RJ was invited by his coach, in one of the swim club where he's a member, a few weeks back. But because I have to make some last minute Christmas shopping this weekend, before going home to the province for a vacation, RJ was not able to join. I'm pretty sure he would have gotten a good tan while waiting for his turn to swim. His Dad has been teasing him that he doesn't look macho because he's not tanned anymore. RJ has stopped swimming this school year because of school service problem.

Next year he will go back to swimming. And next year, he'll be with thousands of swimmers beating another world record.

looking for swim club

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I am looking for a new swim club for my son. Preferably, a team that trains during the weekend.

RJ is part of his school's swim varsity since his preschool years. But the school pool has been under renovation and RJ hasn't attended swim training for a few months already. He's been having cough and colds, every month, since August. Not swimming is the cause of his low immune system.

I've learned today that the pool is done and ready for the swimmer's daily training in the school's newly renovated swimming area.

My problem now is the school services' unwillingness to pick us up after swim training. There are two possible solution to this problem. One: transfer to a new school bus and look for a tutor near the school if RJ still wants to join the swim team. Two: Not join swim team in school and look for a new team that trains during weekends only.

I thus have to weigh the pros and cons of each of the possible solutions...ASAP.

another competition, why??

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As a member of his school's swim team, my son already has responsibilities. He needs to attend swim training everyday for 2 hours. The other day though, he doesn't want to train. But I told him he needs to. First of all, because of swimming everyday, his asthma attacks were nil this year. I want to believe that swimming made his body stronger thus leading to no attacks this year. I told him he has to train for his health.

Last weekend, he had another competition and he did pretty well. What do I tell him everytime he doesn't want to swim or join competitions? I encourage him and tell him that what's important is for him to have fun. Doen't matter if he brings home a medal, ribbon or nothing.

another one?

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Another swimming competition to go to this Saturday. I hope there's a Wi-fi connection at the swim venue. That's my son, butterfly event, from two weeks' ago's competition.

nothing can stop us from winning

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My son's team is getting ready for another swimming competition. Regular training is usually for less than 2 hours but they train for more than 2 hours whenever they are getting ready for a competition. Not even a storm can stop them from training.

free swim training

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The swim varsity try-outs at my sons' school was two months ago. Non-varsity as well as varsity members from the previous school year were required to join the yearly try-outs. Only 40 slots are open every year to 4 - 18 year old boys.

Today, I got a letter from the School Director. My son was able to get a slot in the schools' swim team. Yipee!

I am so glad! I am so proud of my son. We don't have to pay P13,000/year ($270) + P500/competition ($10.50) for him to join the schools' swim club. Members of the school varsity are entitled to FREE everything (from training to competition fees). Members of the schools' swim club needs to pay for everything. Not to mention that if one wants to get the monthly payment option, it's triple the price!

That will save us P 25,000 -P 40,000 ($520 - $800) club membership fee for this year. What can I buy with that amount? Should I buy more shares in the stock market or just splurge it on shoes and clothes?

I'll just imagine a new fur coat (with that amount? maybe a non-designer-fur coat).

"Yeah right", you say, "humid weather in Manila remember?"

I did say "I'll just imagine" right?

another swimming competition

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Another swimming competition tomorrow. We have to be in the swim venue at 6:30 am, the head coach is very strict about being there early to get the best seats and for the swimmers not to miss the team's warm-up. My son, together with his teammates, will do some laps (the warm-up) in the pool and then we have to wait for the competition to start at 8 am. Hours of waiting for my son to finish his events - 50 meters breaststroke, 100 meters backstroke, 100 meters butterfly, 100 meters IM (fly, back, breast, free) and 50 meters freestyle.

Goodluck RJ! Win or lose, I'll always be proud of you!

get your kids into sports

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My son is a member of a swim club in school. Everyday, for 1-2 hours, he needs to attend swim training. Training is usually done in the school's 25 meter pool. Yes, it's not an olympic size pool but the training that my son has to do everyday consists of swimming 400 meters of the four strokes (butterfly, backstroke, breast stroke, freestyle) and that's only the warm up. Swimming everyday (except on wednesdays, he has basketball practice) even on weekends helped his body become stronger.

He is asthmatic and I have noticed the decline in the number of attacks he had since being active in sports. Sometimes on weekends, we run for an hour in the track oval of ULTRA.

bedtime story no more??

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Eversince my son was a baby, I always read a bedtime story for him. He likes reading, he loves books so much. He himself say that he is a bookworm.

He was given a slot in his schools swimming team 2 years ago, when he was still in prep level. At that time, he was still in the morning class. 11am until 330pm was our time to read a book, play word games, puzzles, he play with his toys, he also draw and paint. We go back to his school for training at 4pm and we stay there until 7 pm.

Last year, bedtime story sessions doesn't happen everyday. Classes end at 220 pm, only 1.5 hours to do all his homework, study for a scheduled quiz for the next day (if there's any)... then we had to rush to his swim training.

I do allow him to go to the library everyday. I am very proud that he can read and understand books without a single picture illustration anymore at 6 years old. Before bedtime, he reads a book by himself while waiting for me to finish household chores. Sometimes, he requests that I read a bedtime story for him. Most of the time though we don't finish the whole book because he has to sleep already.

Today though was different. I was able to read a book to him without cutting off the rest of the story. He went to sleep happy.

I hope I can read another bedtime story for him tomorrow...and the next day...and the day after that...

Choosing the right swim class

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I enrolled my son in a swimming class, near Harrison Plaza, when he was 2 months shy of his 3rd birthday. My sister enrolled her 6 month old baby at the same time. The two kids just cried the whole 10 (2-hour) sessions, my son didn't even learn how to dog paddle. I think they just made their lungs stronger because every session the crying becomes louder and louder.

Before he turned 4, he attended a swim school located at a hotel near Harrizon Plaza also. He cried for a few minutes but after that it was smooth sailing for him and the swim coach. He doesn't want other coaches to teach him though, he always looks for the head coach everytime he comes to class. Good thing this swim school caters to kids (babies even), they were very understanding and patient. Before that summer class ended, my son was able to swim by himself without any arm rings.

Summer before his 6th birthday, he joined a class offered by a former coach of the Philippine team.

Choosing the right swimming class for your child is very important. Just because someone knows how to swim doesn't mean that they can also teach swimming already.

So, how do you choose the right swim school for your child/ren? Here is a checklist how to do it.

Research: Go online and look for a swim class offered near your area. You can also ask friends and family members if they know of a good one.

Forums: Visit online forums and get feedbacks about the swim classes that you've researched so far.

Top Three: By now you can narrow down the best classes based on the feedbacks that you've gotten.

Visit: Visit the pool site and talk with the head coach. Observe how the coaches communicate and teach the students. Check the coach:student ratio. The more students a coach handles, the lesser time he can give to each student. Check the condition of the pool, is it clean? First time swimmers doesn't know how to breath properly under the water yet so they tend to swallow some water from the pool.

Fee: Check if the swimming fee is reasonable. Some provide for the goggles, floaters and graduation giveaways. Does your child have these things already? If you don't have it yet, is it cheaper to buy somewhere else?

Free Trial: Ask if they can give your child a swim trial, some allow it for a few minutes. Can the coach communicate well with your child, does your child like the coach? If ever you decide to enroll in that class, make sure that your childs swim instructor is the same one that gave him the swim trial.

Happy swim school hunting!