Why the boys starting swimming lessons has me breaking out in a cold sweat …

Beautiful brunette woman on the beach alone relaxing in a hat. S

I have a confession. I have not been swimming in 2.5 years. Not because I don’t like it. Ok, maybe I don’t like it a little bit. I’m a Pisces which means I am supposed to love the water. All the star signs descriptors out there say Pisces are water lovers but perhaps I was just born overdue and missed my true star sign calling because a water lover I am not! And I can’t swim. Much.

When I was 19 I went off on a big adventure to the big US of A to work on a summer camp over in New York State. Little did I know that we would be put through rigorous testing of our swimming skills. I am an asthmatic so holding my breath in cold water has never been and never will be my strong point. So I failed. Well, first I was tested and failed so offered the opportunity to test again. And failed again. I got through all the swimming parts but the treading water part killed me. I was the only one who failed the swim test. Yep, and it wasn’t JUST the camp counsellors who were tested either. The very same test was given to all the campers too and even the 6 year olds all passed. Embarrassing much? Anyway, not much has changed. I am still not a strong swimmer and I am nervous with the boys around water, I imagine that they will fall in and drown but that is just me passing on my own water insecurities to them and I really don’t want them to know or it might subconsciously rub off on them too. So we are doing swimming lessons starting next Saturday. And I am terrified.

The reason I am terrified? Because I will have to wear togs. AKA swimmers for you non Kiwi folk. AKA those really tight lycra things that show every bump and lump on your body. THAT my friends is why I have not been swimming in over 2 and a half years. It makes me break out in a cold sweat just thinking about having to put on a swimsuit and be seen in public. Even though all of the other mums in the pool with their little bundles of energy probably feel the same. I have never been able to lose the baby bump even post 2 years past baby. Can I even still blame the baby 2 years down the line? Probably, kinda, not really. It just stays like a stubborn stain that will not wash out. And the problem with that is that if I wear anything even close to resembling a tight top I seriously look pregnant. I am dreading these swimming lessons but I can’t deny my children the opportunity to learn to swim and to turn into me, so I am swallowing my pride and going to have to get over it.

Please tell me other people feel this way about swimsuits too?! Or water in general? And what do you do to get around it? Because with two little boys who love the water, I need to find my way around it somehow. And quickly!

6 thoughts on “Why the boys starting swimming lessons has me breaking out in a cold sweat …

  1. I used to hate wearing a swimsuit. I’m definitely plus-sized, and not plus-sized in the catalog model sense. Also, I’ve lost a lot of weight over the years and as a result have loose skin. I don’t wear a normal swimsuit, I wear a bona fide swim dress. And yet, I still used to hate having my skin exposed in public.

    Then one summer at the pool I looked around and realized that I was not the fattest person there, not by a long shot. There were a lot of superfat people wearing really skimpy swimsuits, exposing way more skin than I would ever dare to.

    This is when I stopped being self-conscious. I still don’t love it, but I actually DO like being in the water, so I’m able to suck it up and just have fun – fat be damned. 🙂

    1. That’s an awesome attitude, and really everyone is probably more self conscious of themselves than noticing anyone else. Thanks for your comment 🙂

  2. How about wearing some boardies and a rashie or singlet top over your togs. I’ve seen heaps of mums do this at the pool and I have done it in the past too. Good luck. You’ll be fine.

  3. Here from ICLW,

    I hate the way I look in a bathing suit. No Question. I am fat. I never had a pregnancy nor baby weight to lose–I’m fat.

    Here’s the thing though. I love swimming with my daughter. I love splashing with her and kissing her arms in the floaties. I don’t want her to think that she can’t so something because her body isn’t what someone else deems beautiful. So I swim. Without a T-shirt on.

    If someone takes a picture of you and your children playing by the pool–maybe someone will say that you’re not a swimsuit model. I’m betting your sons will look at it and say, “Eh, whatever–we had such a great time that day!”

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