Tough Love

I see the panic in his face as he walks across the wet floor. His arms are crossed together in front of him as he shivers in the cool air. Cautiously he walks toward the diving board and the deep pool of water. Today is the day his swimming class jumps off the diving board for the first time. I know he is scared and doesn’t want to jump. I know he is afraid of the water. I know this is really hard for him. I want so badly to leave my seat on the bleachers, to open the gate that separates spectators from swimmers, to run and hug him and tell him he doesn’t have to jump. But I stay in my seat, lock my eyes on his 8-year-old body, and offer a silent prayer for him. He climbs on the diving board and walks forward, grasping a large orange swimming noodle around his waist. His teacher follows behind him. As he stands at the edge of the board, the teacher softly encourages him and, holding the edges of the noodle, lifts him off the board and gently drops him into the water. He did it! And he does it again and again. I’m so proud of him. I can't wait to give him a high-five after class.

As I watched my second graders go through their two-week swimming lessons at the Aquatic Center, I saw differences in their personalities and comfort level with swimming. Some loved the water and swam like fish; others were more fearful of the entire experience. My attention was most often focused on the “beginner” group, partly because that’s where I belong (I flunked swimming lessons as a child and now rely primarily on the back float and “doggie paddle”), but also because I know it’s difficult for them. As a teacher who loves them, I wish they didn’t have to do something that’s so hard for them.

I also feel for my students that struggle with some area of schoolwork or the social aspect of school. I love “my” kids. I want them to be happy. I want them to understand things the first time. I want them to have friends. I want life to be easy for them. But that doesn’t always happen. And I hurt when they hurt.

And yet, it’s often in the struggles that we learn the most. There is joy in finally succeeding and overcoming obstacles. Besides, I also want my students to learn perseverance and courage and compassion. These life skills are developed through struggles. So I continue to do my job: guide, teach, and love these children. Praise them for their successes and encourage them amidst their struggles. And pray for them.