Tonight I took the kids to swimming lessons at La Petite Baleen for the first time. They've had swimming lessons before, but not since last year, and that was at the JCC.
How do you know the best place for kids to learn to swim? I guess I'll know it worked when they can actually swim.
For years I've heard people say how great this place is, but then why am I pining for the JCC? I think it's all about the gym experience.
What do the kids need? Good solid swimming instruction.
What does Daddy need? A nice, convenient place that is easy to get to, has nice facilities, and provides just the right amount of eye candy (okay I admit it -- hot young swim instructors make the whole experience much more fun).
First I had to find it, which wasn't that hard. Great location in the Presidio across from Chrissy Field. Kind of far from our house, but still nice. But then we walked in and discovered they don't have towels! I was clearly unprepared, so had to buy two cheap towels from them that will quickly get tossed in our 'extra towels' pile, or possibly be used for Burning Man.
Then it turns out the locker rooms aren't much to write home about. Big sign outside: girls over 5 go in the women's locker room, boys over 5 go in the men's locker room. Well, my girls ain't going to go get changed alone, so they went in the men's locker room with me. But then they were shy, so we had to go behind the one curtain for a bit of privacy. Why don't they have family changing rooms???? I can't possibly be the only parent taking opposite-sex kids for swimming lessons.
Oh yeah, the girls had to go pee, and there was only one toilet in the men's locker room (and they wouldn't venture into the women's room without me). What's up with that?
Bumped into 5 kids they know from school, so that was nice.
But I couldn't figure out how to turn on the showers, and I'm a reasonably intelligent person. Some woman explained it to me, and mentioned that several of them don't work and I should try not to get splashed. I got splashed.
The lesson seemed fine, but it's crazy in there! Find your teacher, wait for someone to ring a bell (like a salvation army bell at christmas) and hop in. All seemed fine at that point, but it's a narrow row of benches to sit on and wait, with tons of noise.
Looks like they have lead instructors who walk around in jeans and walky talkies telling the teachers in the water what to do differently.
The girls had fun, so that's the best thing.
But then afterwards, back to the showers, and there's no soap or shampoo! You have to bring your own. Luckily Beatriz, a mom from FAIS, gave me some shampoo.
Okay, so now compare that to the JCC:
- family changing rooms
- towel service
- family showers
- soap, shampoo, conditioner
- nice viewing gallery
- hot young instructors
Although walking out of La Petite Baleen after the class into a beautiful warm night, large bright moon shining down on the bay, the golden gate bridge all lit up... that was nice.
I guess we'll wait to see if they learn to swim. If not, i'm going back to the JCC. I admit it: it feels more like a spa and upscale pool/gym. I like that.
