Ever since June I’ve had “Write swimming post” on my To Do list, but every time I sat down to actually do it, I decided to wait until after X or Y or Z event which was coming up soon (and, if I’m being honest, I’ve struggled with my writing in the months since my dad died). Now, five months later, a LOT has happened and there’s no way I can put it all into a single post. Here are just a few of the swimming topics I need to cover:
- Nathan joined the swim team! At least one whole post needs to be dedicated to this topic.
- Sarah Kate can now swim the butterfly (and, by extension, the IM).
- Sarah Kate was the runner-up in points for the 13-18 age group this summer.
- Sarah Kate recently trained with US Paralympic Team coaches.
- Sarah Kate will compete in the Alabama High School South Sectionals in a few days.
- Sarah Kate met her swimming hero.
That’s…a LOT to cover. For now, though, I want to share with you a feature story that our local Fox affiliate did on Sarah Kate and her swimming, and include a few thoughts for all you mommas out there who aren’t as far along this path as I am.
Here’s the Thing: Don’t be afraid to let your kid do things that scare you.
In 2010, when Sarah Kate was seven, she told me she wanted to join the swim team – it terrified me! She had barely learned to swim and couldn’t even walk well! But I talked to the coach, who was very encouraging (Thanks be to God for Coach Cathy Hudson!), and we let her try it. I went to every practice that summer (bear in mind that Nathan was a newborn at the time) and I never took my eyes off of her because I was certain she would drown if I did.
Now, fast forward to 2018.
This week, our local Fox affiliate aired a feature story on Sarah Kate. She trained with US Paralympic Team coaches last month. Her swimming mentor is Cortney Jordan, 12-time Paralympic medalist who competed in Rio, London, and Beijing, and she now counts among her friends and acquaintances Paralympic team members Mackenzie Coan, Colleen Young, and McClain Hermes. She will swim in the Alabama High School South Sectionals this coming weekend and odds are good she will be the first para-swimming breaststroker in history to swim in the Alabama state meet at Auburn University in a few weeks.
What’s the lesson for us as parents?
We spend a lot of time pushing: we push our kids in their therapy, we push schools for full inclusion, and we push society for acceptance of differences. But behind those momma bear instincts we worry. We are afraid that our kids will get hurt. We want them to reach their potential, but we also want to protect them at any cost. Those fears sometimes mean that WE are the ones who hold our kids back, unintentionally.
Don’t be afraid, mommas.
Your children may reach heights you never dreamed possible if you just let them try.
Love this! She’s giving it everything she has, and much more. And she’s getting ready to make Alabama sports history. And while being herself. Sarah Kate is a leader, and will go very far in whatever she does. Sarah, keep at it. You’ll do anything you set out to do.