Tag Archives: water

Water baby

Posted in ABC Open by

500 Words: Shaped by childhood

https://open.abc.net.au/explore/126195

Fingers of ice dig into my skin, dragging up the length of my body. The panicked heat of my head and face the antithesis of the chill of the rest of me.

I cling anxiously to the side, fingers cramped into position. Unmoving. Numb. 

I have trouble feeling my feet. My teeth chatter in time with those of the rest of the kids in the line. No solar heating consolation here. Anguished cries can be heard, sometimes outright sobs.

The lapping of water becomes the white-noise backdrop to the palpable fear.

Mothers with attendant younger siblings in strollers congregate on the other side of the Olympic pool, a long, long way away. There is no one to comfort us now. The pungent odour of chlorine rises from the water, filling my nostrils, swirling around my shoulders, engulfing my headspace. I struggle to keep alert.

Staring straight ahead, my bobbing face is only a few inches away from the broken tiles that are adorned with furred streaks of mould. I follow the crack-lines with my eyes, a game of concentration as I wait for the scariness to begin. Again.

And so it does, the instruction to stick faces into the water and blow bubbles. Breathe in…blow out. Breathe in…blow out. In…out. In…out. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Next, breathing practice. All to the count of three, shouted at us with a military-like precision. Faces in and then we blow bubbles out, turn heads to the right, left ear still in the water, faces back in. Other side. And on and on and on.

Our class is whittled down, day by day, as the cold, the barked instructions, the sniffles and nervous tummy aches take their toll. But for those of us that remain, we move on to letting go of the side, kicking our legs, using foam boards, perfecting arm strokes, dog paddling, diving in and safety jumps. Our progress is steady and sure. We are a child army drilled in the ways of water and we will obey instructions and achieve.

Repeat, repeat, repeat.

At the end of two weeks, when I graduate to “swimming” freestyle and earn my certificate, I feel total exhilaration. A whole new, wonderful, watery world has been opened up to me and it feels so exciting! So amazing!

As scary and difficult as it had been, the outcome of being able to make my way through the water at my own speed (and survive) was truly incredible.

And the fantastic thing is that that incredible, exhilarating, liberating feeling remains with me today, numerous decades later. 

Whenever I wade out into the surf, dive into a swimming pool or float down a river, I experience the blissful joy of my childhood. I remember those sixty minute swimming lessons at the local council pool – and how one hour there felt like three. I remember how terrified I was to begin with and I remember the journey of learning.

And as I dive under then float, go dog-paddling, enjoy a lazy backstroke or just muck around in the water, I remember and appreciate the wonder and thrill of learning to swim all those years ago.

The water table

Posted in ABC Open by

500 Words: First Memory

https://open.abc.net.au/explore/66888

I can’t say that I loved school when I was little but I did love ‘water play’.

One or two afternoons each week, the water play table would be set up outside our classroom. On the black asphalt that became hot and sticky during the long summer months, a large and sturdy rectangular metal table was set up by the teachers.

It was filled with three to four inches of water.

Various pouring containers bobbed on the surface as did funnels and jam jars, spoons and ladles, colanders and flour scoops. There were even a couple of little buckets and tea party sets thrown in. My earliest memory of being allowed to enjoy water play is from when I was about 6 years old and in first class at the local primary school. In the sun, without hats or sunscreen, my classmates and I gathered excitedly around the water play table.

Pouring and measuring, emptying and filling, laughing and giggling – it was a wonderful way to spend an afternoon, being creative and social. We were also being given a basic introduction to maths in a way that was fun and practical. We were learning as we played.

I can’t remember my teacher ever getting cross with us during water play. We never threw water at each other or splashed anyone on purpose. Even the naughty kids were good. I remember playing with the water as being a very calming experience.

It also encouraged our social skills – we interacted with each other and practiced our manners and sharing abilities as we asked for different containers or asked to borrow a certain something. We made new friends as we got to know each child in the class. There were never any tears during water play.

Nowadays, water play tables are made of brightly coloured moulded plastic and are fully accessorised, with spinning wheels, water elevators and shade shelters. Today’s water play tables probably don’t have sharp edges. But the metal water play table of my childhood will always hold a special place in my memory, despite its lack of sophistication and safety features.