Disclosure: My kids are lucky li’l ducks to be offered so many complimentary classes. But although I’m being compensated, all thoughts, opinions, and snoring offspring are entirely my own.
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That trio of mine enjoys staying supremely active. (And I enjoy letting them out crazy amounts of excess afternoon energy; it’s a little bit like letting a bit of steam eke out of a very full, very shouty teapot.)
And thanks to Goldfish Swim School and Design Dance- our two newest Chicago allies for exceptional sleep- we’re thrilled to report that our first two weeks with both companies has been a rollicking, sleep-’til-7am kinda success. (The non-parents might be questioning whether or not that’s a bad thing. Those with children are like, “Seven? You mean the next day?!”)
Goldfish Swim School- Wicker Park
By now, you’ve probably seen my (ahem- Suzy’s) Facebook live video promoting the new Wicker Park location. Sure, I extol the greatness of the small class sizes, extremely attentive instructors, and beautifully clean facilities, but it barely scratches the surface of the awesomeness this place contains.
Week 1- Jasper wasn’t sure about being away from me, but he was sure he wanted to get in the water. Choices, choices. (He chose the water. He loved the water. He loved the water so much that he posed like a strong man. As you do.)
Suzy and Nora dug that they were in the same beginner’s class for their age range, even though Suzy told everyone within hearing distance that she was a terrific swimmer. By the end of the first class, she swam halfway across the lane on her own. Turns out, she is a terrific swimmer. (Nora, being thoroughly my child, got a ribbon for putting her face in the water. And was thrilled about it.)
Week 2- J was happy to make a friend in this week’s class, especially since it allowed him more time to do what he loves best; sitting, watching, and quietly judging people. Also: he got the coveted Face Underwater ribbon, too! (They don’t call two-thirds of us Baby Step Schoeny for no reason.)
The girls rocked the back float this week. Like, rocked it. To the point where they kept sinking to the bottom of the pool in their rush to jackknife back up and scream “MOM, LOOK AT HOW WELL I’M DOING THE BACK FLOAT!”
(I idly waved at all three from over the cover of my novel, thinking happily about the hour of my life I’d get back that evening by letting them shower on the pool deck after class. Ahh.)
Design Dance
Oh, we love these peeps. They bring all manner of dance to all manner of kids through their after-school and weekend classes. Chicago is exceedingly lucky to have them work with many CPS K-12 kids, as well as with folks at the Jesse White Community Center, Avondale Park, and Chase Park through a City of Chicago Arts partnership. After perusing the (wonderfully extensive) catalog of dance options, I asked both girls what they wanted to try.
“Hip hop!” they both agreed. (They rarely agree, at least from an extracurricular standpoint.) Nora said she’d always wanted to try it; Suzy said she was already really great at it, but it’d be fun to do. (Note: Girl has never taken a hip hop class in her life. This dissuades her not in the least.)
Week 1- For the first fifteen minutes of our first class at Chase Park, I kept peeking in and seeing ecstatic expressions on the girls’ faces as they shrugged their shoulders, struck poses, and rapidly moved in place. (This was the warm up, and they were bringing it a hundred and fifty percent. God bless Miss Abby.)
Week 2- After class, Nora and Suzy told me that, hands down, the best part of their day was when they got to invent a signature dance move and then have the rest of the room follow their lead- and then add that segment to the class’ own dance. At the very end, there was a looong dance combo which consisted of (among other things) shimmies, jump spins, and popping and locking kick attempts. (It was magical.)
Best part of my day? Seeing the best part of their day.
(Stay tuned for weeks 3 and 4!)
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