She started swimming on a team in Germany once a week for a short time. When we arrived in the states she really wanted to start swimming again but it was never a good time. this past July I finally started looking at swim teams for her and she decided to join VAST (Valley Aquatic Swim Team). It is a pretty serious team as far as training and competition. They have four different levels, blue, bronze, silver and gold. Her try outs put her in the bronze level. The team sent 13 people to the Olympic qualifiers and three to the Olympics.
At her level they swim three times a week for an hour. She loves it. Last week coach asked her if he could talk to her parents after the next practice. My first response was "What about?". Then I felt like I had been called into the principals office and tried to figure out what she could have done that was so bad the coach needed to talk to me. Last time he asked to speak to us it was because her swim suit was disintegrating and she needed a new one ASAP. So we bought her one the next day. I just couldn't figure out what he wanted so I sent Matt.
They came home and said that coach wanted to promote her to the Silver team!!!!! What??!!!! Usually kids stay at the bronze level at least for a year or two, it is not unheard of if they are there for three! Matt asked about her times, coach responded that she hasn't made silver times in a meet yet, but she hasn't been to a meet since Oct. and he feels her times are in that area now. He then went on to say that even if they aren't he is suggesting she move up because for her attitude, persistence, and endurance. I am so freakin proud of that girl!!!!
She has also been taking an intense Shakespeare class this past term and on Friday was crowned, meaning that she has read seventeen Shakespeare plays and report on them. Less than half the class was able to do it within the term.
Parenting her has been such a learning experience for me. Anyone who knows her knows that she gives the term "tomboy" a whole new meaning. She doesn't care about how her hair looks, has developed the swimmers triangle so her shoulders and chest are pretty broad and muscular, she walks very heavily and just isn't all that feminine. Believe me I have tried to encourage her to be more feminine, but she just doesn't really care about girly things. The other day we were getting ready to leave and I asked her to watch her posture because she looked like..... and she cut me off and said "Because I look like myself?" That made an impact on me. she is old enough that I need to back off and let her be her unique self without criticizing. She knows my expectations she knows what I would wish for her to be, but it is her decision. It is so hard........ I keep telling myself that she is such a good girl why waste energy nit-picking all the small things?
2 comments:
She really has grown up and changed so much since we first met your family! Congratulations on all you've accomplished Seri!
It's a long story, but you may have noticed my blog is long gone... but I did start a new one! Come check us out at our new spot!
Congrats!! That is quite an accomplishment! I know I couldn't do all of those in such a short time!
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