For part of my job, I have to teach swim lessons every morning in two-week sessions. I've always loved to teach the younger kids (aged 4-6) because they're adorable and improve greatly with each lesson. They're also very funny and have taught me a few important things to apply to my life.
1. "If you don't go under, then you won't drown." - A 5-year old that was terrified to put their face in the water
At first, I had to laugh at the simplicity of this kid's comment. Of course, you won't drown if you don't go under the water, but you won't necessarily drown if you do go under. However, this can be interpreted in real life to mean that if you don't overload your life's responsibilities, then you won't be overwhelmed. But don't completely neglect your life just to be lazy and have free time. It's all about ~balance~.
2. "Sometimes you just have to get your hair wet." - A girl's response to me not wanting to get mine wet
Yes, I did end up getting my hair wet that day... It was very cold. But I took from this that in life, you have to take some risks. Get your hair wet, wear the clothes that make you feel good, have fun with your friends. Life is short, y'all!
3. Be proud of small achievements.
With little kids, it's all about awarding them for small victories. If they finally jump into the pool by themselves, make a big deal about it by clapping and high-fiving them. If they finally go under, do the same. They'll feel 10x better about themselves and build up confidence. The same thing applies to ourselves. We must reward ourselves for small victories in life, for it helps up stay productive and feel better about ourselves.
4. "The clouds say it's time to go home. Goodbye."
On this day, it was cloudy, a little bit chilly, and the water was cold. When one of my kids refused to get in the pool, I asked him why and he responded with this. I couldn't help but laugh as his mom proceeded to guide him back towards the edge of the pool to get in. This reminded me that sometimes our lives' are cloudy and we need to take time to bring sunshine back into our lives. Pay attention to how you're feeling and take care of yourself.
5. "Always wear your mermaid tail... it'll help you swim."
GiphyWhen a little girl said this to me, it made me think of always being the best version of myself and "wearing my mermaid tail" in life. If I'm kind and genuine to everyone I meet, it'll help me in life as well.
6. Watch out for sharks in the diving well…
GiphyWhen I brought my class to the 12-foot diving well to swim, they immediately freaked out of the deeper water. Across the pool, an older class (called the Sharks) was swimming. One of my kids asked what they were doing and when I said they were the Sharks, the kids' panicked. It's safe to say we moved back to shallower water after that. But lesson learned that there will always be deep water and "sharks" in the real world. Make sure you know where it's safe to swim…
7. "Water is different blues but it's always blue... Don't go in the dark blue!”
The kids asked me why the deep end of the pool is a different blue than the shallow end. When I explained to them it was because it was deeper and they couldn't touch there, they told me to never go in the dark blue. I laughed, but it also made me think of how you have to be cautious in life, and watch out for the shift in colors that we may not always see.
8. Kids always see the world in a different way than adults.
After being around so many different kids and their personalities, I respect little kids so much more. They see the world in a positive and better perspective than adults. While sometimes their reasoning and fears may be irrational, sometimes we need to listen to them more to give ourselves a reality check. Sometimes you may cry, but it's not as bad as it seems. Jump in the pool, laugh at your mistakes, and just enjoy life.
