Emmy and I go swimming together on Saturday mornings (it's the Aussie in me coming out - this strange cultural belief that not only CAN babies swim but that it is their birth right).
Apparently, when babies are very young, they have a kick reflex, where they automatically kick in water or when they are held in the air.
And apparently, babies lose their kick reflex at around six months and then have to learn it as a skill, consciously practising it.
So in the swimming class, it's funny, because depending on the age of the baby, some parents think their kids are geniuses because they just naturally kick while others gets frustrated that no amount of motivation will get their babies to "swim".
When we first went swimming, Emma was kicking away at the slightest opportunity, and I would say "kick, kick" and feel very happy that she was listening to me and that our parent-child swim relationship was so much in sync.
And now she doesn't any more. My baby's lost her kick reflex! And I can say "kick kick" all I like, but all she's going to do be doing is floating around the pool until she learns to kick again.
And the philosopher in me wonders, perhaps our entire lives are about learning to do things that used to come completely naturally to us...
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