Even if they end up never doing what they're "supposed" to do that day they had fun in the water instead of that lesson being a battle or a failure or abandoned completely.

EXACTLY. The point of the class is to get kids comfortable in the water and having fun. 18m-3y olds are NOT learning to swim, they are learning to trust that their parents will not let them drown.

[eta: I partially take that back - some of the kids closer to 3 probably are learning the basics of how to kick and move their arms. But there's no independent floating in this level of class - everything is done with the parent in the water. The 3-5 year olds are the youngest to go in the water alone with floaty belts.]

One thing I often had success with (and my Sister who is teaching still does) is when they don't want to go in or don't want to go under is to non-spashily get them wet by patting water on them.

Oh, he does all that. And he'll happily splash water on his head and face, and put his ears in the water. Just not the whole head. (He'll even put his face in to "blow bubbles," but since what he's actually doing is taking sips of the pool water I try not to encourage it.)

My father threw me into the pool to introduce me to the water. I'm guessing that's not so okay these days.

You can help him blow instead of sip by playing a game where you blow air out of big cheeks (even squishing air out of your cheeks with your hands). Fart noises can help with the fun of this. Then every now and then dip your faces in while you do it. If you're blowing crazy amounts of air its hard to take in any water. It will help him "get" the feeling of blowing bubbles. Which is a nice feeling so he'll want to do it once he masters it.

Once he's doing that he can hold onto the side and do it. Then he can kick while he does it. All of that can progress pretty quickly and while its not proper "swimming" if (heaven forbid) he falls in somewhere and reacts by kicking and blowing he'll pop up, not suck in water, and (maybe most importantly) create a commotion.

It's the kid that just slips under the water silently that scares the fuck out of lifeguards. Three times I've pulled up children doing that and it still gives me chills. They were each floating just beneath the surface all startled and still.

I worry about floats in lessons, it makes it hard for them to learn their own buoyancy. I understand the urge, however, see above re: slipping under. At least the belts are a billion times better than the arm floaties which make it impossible to learn to use their arms. Or the back 'bubbles' -- God help us. [link] Great, their back is floating, but if they get tired or take in water they can't get upright and their face is pushed in the water, um, duh.

Amy - they treated on Thursday, but it wasn't what I would call a great treatment. They come back next week to inspect. I can almost guarantee that where they are going to look, they are not going to find any evidence. So they will declare the place clear. I will then call if/when I see another and I will try to convince my co-op that what they need to do is have a different company treat. I may have to pay someone myself.

it's all here: bugjourney.blogspot.com

Oh, I forgot about the blog. Thank you!

I just can't imagine the kind of patience it's taking to get through all this, and if anyone deserves a spa day and a big drink and someone to take care of *you* for a while, it's you.

I have vodka and S3 Deadwood tonight, and it's helping me care a little less how very fucking hot it is in this house.

msbelle, can you give me a link to the heat-treatment thing?

Here is the page that has all the affiliate links so that bedbugger.com get some money. I found a local retailer for the PackTite so I bought it from them in order to get it faster.

[link]

Here is the page that has all the affiliate links so that bedbugger.com get some money.

Oh cool. Thanks.

I haven't posted about my bedbug situation in a while. My current theory is that after I called my landlord's bluff on the "we're gonna take you to court and evict you" thing, they just decided to ignore me until I go away - i.e. they haven't talked to me or done any treatment since May. (My lease will be up at the end of Sept. so I'll be out then, if not sooner.) Maybe they figure they'll treat the bugs in my apartment once I'm gone.

Jesus, msbelle, that's quite the horrific saga. I missed most of it while away.

tommy are you getting bit or seeing bugs? I am pretty sure landlords HAVE to treat.

sara - it really really is and I'm only at 3 weeks. The isolation devices for my furniture will mostly likely stay on for 2 years after I feel that we are clear. The mattress encasements are NEVER coming off except to be cleaned. I haven't started tossing stuff, but that is surely next. The clothes that I had treated that I thought I would ebay, I am just donating all of those now, I want them gone and to get that space back. Donating things sealed up in ziploc bags is kinda humorous.