This weekend saw not one but two marathon events. There was of course the Great Scottish Run, which the Milkman took part in for his third or fourth year. But as this is a Broody Tuesday entry, I'm going to talk about the other marathon event - Half Pint's swimming Club Championships!
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| can you spot the one that isn't for swimming?! |
Actually, it isn't quite as bad as it sounds. For anyone who has a child that has taken that step from swimming lessons to swimming at a competitive level (or indeed a child who has taken any passion to the next level), seeing them do what they love and do well at is a total joy. It shows that all the shuttle runs to and from training, all the fees and money spent on kit, all the rearranged plans and times you say "sorry, I can't - that's a swim night" are worth it.
This is Half Pint's second championships - last year he walked his age group by scooping gold in four out of five events (breaststroke, butterfly, backstroke and his medley) with a silver in his front crawl, and being awarded the shield for being the fastest boy in his age group. However, this year was tougher as he's gone from being a ten year old in the 9-10's to an eleven year old in the 11-12's. There's a big difference between someone who's just turned eleven and someone who is soon to be thirteen, I can tell you! We prepared him for the fact that this year would probably be more of an experience and chance to better his personal bests, rather than being about medals and trophies. But he held his own, doing so well in his heat for the first event that he got put into the faster heat for the other four. He came a steady fourth in all those faster heats, so although he only got participation medals he is chuffed to be the fastest eleven year old!
Now, I'm not someone who is a fan of watching sports. And I'm not someone who can really get myself excited about how other people's kids get on (I know, I know - hardly team spirited, am I?). But even I find those heart-thumping moments when Half Pint is actually racing exhilarating. And actually, I like events like this as a chance to spy on him. Not in some weirdo stalkermum way, but as kids get older more and more of their lives are played out away from your watchful eye. Sometimes it's nice to be able to observe Half Pint interacting with his friends, handling himself in serious situations and just generally being him. I'm always struck at events like this just how grown up he is these days, and I do think his swimming has played a big part in shaping the young man he is turning out to be.
I was featured in a national newspaper recently, in an article about mums with busy kids. It was a positive article, and in my discussion with the journalist we got talking about how beneficial an extra-curricular commitment can be for kids. I'll be honest, apart from it being something he enjoyed doing, I didn't really consider the benefits when I first let Half Pint try out for the team. But now it's such a big part of his life (and an all-consuming part of the family's life too!), I can really see the impact it has had on him. And that goes far beyond the physical and health benefits of a sport, or the confidence boost of a medal. His ability to mix with a diverse range of kids - including those older than him - has grown, and I think that sets him in good stead for high school next year. He's also had to navigate the world of competitions without me to guide him, which has built him up and boosted his ability to deal with pressure and new situations. He even has a whole door of opportunities for study and career choices later in life thrown open to him that he may never have even been aware of. The list is endless, when I sit down to think about it! And if all I have to do is give up a few of my weekends - as precious as they are - to support him, then I don't think that's much to ask. After all, it could be worse - at least swimming is interesting to watch, and is indoors!
Any other swim mums out there? Or are there any other parents whose kids do activities outside of school? Do you agree that there are benefits beyond entertainment or honing a skill? Or do you think there are drawbacks? I'd love to hear from you!
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