H has had swimming lessons since she was a baby. She has been awarded various badges in the last four and a half years, starting from the Duckling Award scheme ; she has Duckling 1-5, as well as Stage 1. Tonight H got her certificate for Stage 2, which also means moving up to the Yellow Hat classes, into the big pool for lessons.

Stage 2 is a jump up from the lower levels. We’re lucky, as H’s teacher takes her class into the main pool for a jump and swim at the end of their lesson each week which got them used to the difference in pools. H had a trial earlier in the year but panicked when she got in, as the big pool is colder and deeper. I knew she had the skills, we just needed to work on her confidence. She can swim on her back fine (you don’t have to think about breathing then!) and just needs to work on her front, which seems to be what Stage 3 is about anyway – getting the correct breathing techniques in place.

I’m so proud of my little girl and her swimming achievements – Stage 2 is something she’s achieved on her own through hard work and confidence. Swimming lessons are a good thing too – they teach a child to listen and learn – something they’re going to have to do at school anyway, so may as well get those skills started as early as possible. Mind, she still doesn’t listen to me..!

So, what does ASA Stage 3 bring? She’ll learn to…

1. Jump in from poolside and submerge (min depth 0.9m)
2. Sink, push away from wall on side and maintain a streamlined position
3. Push and glide on the front with arms extended and log roll onto the back
4. Push and glide on the back with arms extended and log roll onto the front
5. Travel on the front, tuck to rotate around the horizontal axis to return on the back.
6. Fully submerge to pick up an object
7. Answer correctly three questions on the Water Safety Code
8. Travel 10 metres on the back
9. Travel 10 metres on the front

and to be honest, she’s probably done a few of these already. Bring it on! Next week can’t come soon enough!!