When we rented an apartment in Playa del Carmen for our worldschooling/workation of 10 weeks, I was thrilled to discover that it came equipped with a swimming pool. Little did I know that this pool would turn out to be terrific for my little son, who had stopped taking swimming lessons since the pandemic.
For months, my son had been missing out on his weekly swimming lessons, which he loved. With public swimming pools closed and social distancing measures in place, we stopped the classes, and living in Montreal we still feel that going to swimming pools in closed environments is still a no-go. But when we arrived in Playa del Carmen and saw the pool outside our apartment, we knew we had hit the jackpot.
At first, my son was hesitant to get back in the water. It had been so long since his last lesson, and he was afraid he had forgotten everything he had learned. But after a few tentative laps around the pool, his confidence began to grow. Soon he was practicing his strokes and diving with the same enthusiasm he had before the pandemic.
Having the pool right a few floors below was not only convenient, but it also gave us a safe and private place to practice swimming. There were usually few people around the pool, but mostly focused on taking sun baths rather than swimming. Generally it was just us, the water, and the warm sunshine of Playa del Carmen.
As the weeks went by, my son's swimming skills continued to improve. He was able to swim longer distances and dive deeper into the water. It became a regular appointment to do every weekday. My older son would often join us in the pool, enjoying the refreshing water and the chance to bond with his younger sibling. It was a great opportunity for our family to spend quality time together and create lasting memories.
Whenever we escaped the city and found ourselves at a location that happened to have a pool, my kid's face lit up with excitement and he jumped in confidently. It was a joy to see him regain his love for swimming and feel confident in the water once again.
Looking back, I feel so grateful for the luck of having a pool available. It gave my son the opportunity to retake swimming and enjoy one of his favorite activities. It was a reminder that when the opportunity presents itself, don’t hesitate to seize it with both hands.
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