This is Alfie bear

Cute smile

Swimming lessons at Aquaducks

After the trial lesson, we signed Hayden up officially for the infant swimming lessons. When we first attended the trial, there were only 3 babies including Hayden. Last Sunday (which was the 3rd lesson), the number of babies increased to 8 babies. Aquaducks coaches are swim coaches trained in early childhood development, and their lessons use toys, games, songs, motion and verbal communication to stimulate learning interactions.


Some of my friends ask me is it really necessary for Hayden to learn swimming at such a young age? Of course it is not necessary but it is said to offer some benefits such as: 
1) They learn to kick  in the water and becomes stronger
2) They will not grow up to fear the water when you want to let them learn proper swimming strokes in future
3) They learn to hold their breath under water and it helps strengthen their lungs and minimize chances of asthma.
4) They learn that in the event they are drowning, they must swim to the wall and grab the wall. (After the 2nd lesson, Hayden already has the natural instinct to swim to the wall and grab it. We can release our hands and he is really grabbing the wall and supporting himself!)


At $25/lesson, I do not feel it is expensive as a "floating" session at Hwa Xia already cost $33/session but babies don't learn anything except kicking water only. Having sent Hayden to try both, I truly feel Aquaducks is a better option because at Hwa Xia, the babies are not in a natural position of swimming and nothing is done to help them overcome the fear of water since their heads are supported by the float. 


Last Sunday, the coach released Hayden in the water and he swam a short distance to Micky on his own. I'm so proud of little Hayden!

DIY Haircut for Baby Hayden

It's been 4 months since Hayden shaved his hair and his hair has since grown back. It never dawned upon me that I would need to trim his hair until his nanny highlighted that he is pulling at his ears and it may be because his hair is tickling his ears. I always took the occasionally tugging at his ears as part of his teething symptoms hence his nanny's comments came as a surprise.

I went down to Kiddy Palace and bought a hair trimming kit by Farlin that costs $30+. It contains a comb, a pair of scicorrs with rounded tip and another pair of layering scicorrs.

Despite the fear that I may accidentally cut him, I mustered the courage to give it a go. Trimming Hayden's hair is no easy feat as he kept turning here and there, trying to avoid me touching his ear or hair. In the end, I only managed to trim the above his ears so that he will not feel ticklish. However, due to my lack of skill, one side is cut quite bluntly and a tad too short. Sigh....

Aquaducks Infant Swimming Lessons

Last Sunday, we brought Hayden for his first swimming lesson. We went for a trial lesson with Aquaducks at Excelsior International School. The lesson lasted 30mins and went pretty well. There were 4 babies in the class but Hayden was the youngest at 7 months.

The lessons are meant to let baby get used to being in the water and not to fear it. They are assisted by 2 instructors. Daddy went in with Hayden to assist him too. As he slowly gets used to it, Hayden will then be taught to put his face in the water and blow bubbles in the water. It costs $300 for 12 lessons (30mins each session) which I find is a reasonable price considering "swimming" at Hwa Xia Baby Spa at Plaza Sing or Harbourfront costs $33 if I don't remember wrongly.

If you're interested in booking a trial lesson, go to http://www.aquaducks.com.sg/
They are not pushy or hard-selling after the trial hence no pressure at all.

Smiling Hayden