Major Push Back

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The 7-year-olds groaned and whined as if I'd asked them to shave their heads or wear dresses. The misery I had inflicted by announcing that I had signed them up for private swim lessons was dramatically displayed via a general condemnation of me and my bright ideas. They refused to go. They vowed never to get in the water. They promised not to listen to the instructor, which by the way, better not be a man. It didn't seem to matter that their 9-year old sister was totally game for her own swim lessons. My husband was about to cave in. "I will only swim with daddy!" sang the woeful chorus. I was not about to back down, what with all my research and advance payment.

"You can't do this without even asking us first!!" triplet L bellowed. Well, it was true. I didn't want to have a big discussion about it two months ago because I feared the Opera of Complaints. I put on my best therapist voice. "You're right. Most of the time you get to choose the things you want to do. But sometimes mom and dad get to decide what you do, especially when we think it's important. We think learning how to swim well is really important, and yup, the three of you are going."

On the first day, our most stubborn 7-year-old sat on the side in protest. She would not enter the pool. She sat and watched her sisters. I guess it was all she could bear, because by the next day she was in. The (female) instructor was engaging and fun and the kids were managing strokes. If I remember correctly, that was the same afternoon they jumped around excitedly asking when they could go back for their next lesson.

Split personality syndrome? Depressive-manic episode? Trash-talk Mom Day? You tell me.