Knowing the temptation would be great at swim practice, I didn’t charge lovie today. The battery was at 10% when we arrived, leaving me no choice but to be distraction free.  Here are the things I learned while watching my kids swim.

1. Day 6, and New Year’s resolutions are alive and well, as evidenced from the packed parking lot at the gym to the other parents actually watching their kids instead of their phones.

2. I like watching them swim. Coco and Crab have mad swimming skills. I am not sure where they got them…certainly not from their dad or me. They look graceful gliding through the water with seemingly little effort.

3. Just in case you get thirsty during your workout… here is the Crab demonstrating how you can take your cup half full right along with you. You don’t see that every day. Glad I wasn’t looking at my phone.

4. Grown men should not wear speedos. Especially with beer guts. And hairy backs. I want the mirror he looked in before coming on deck, because that is one confidence-enhancing mirror. But speedos? I didn’t know they even made those anymore. This was a time maybe I should have been looking at my phone. Or my kids.

5. Speaking of confidence, I have mixed feelings watching Red. Swimming eludes him. I justify the confidence crushing activity only because water safety is a life skill. He was happiest that he was the tallest in his swim class. That’s really something for a kid who regularly clocks in at the 25%ile for height. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that it was because he has at least two years on the other kids.

6. My attention span equals that of a gnat. One hour. Actually, only 55 minutes because we were late. I stood for the first 10 minutes trying to figure out which two were mine in the sea of swim caps and goggles. Then, went to say hi to a friend, ran back to the locker to put something away, quickly walked the long way to the towel station, went to the other side of the pool to get Red settled in his lesson, walked back to say hi to a friend… crap that only took the first 25 minutes.

7. Locker rooms with children are not for the faint of heart. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right?

8. Flip flops, kids. Don’t forget your flip flops.

I am serious about that last one.