"I'm a brave kid now." - Beary, YMCA Swim Lesson Participant
If 10-year-old Beary could carry a swimming pool in his backpack, he would. Whenever he was having a bad day, he says, he could unpack it, fill it up with water, and jump in.
His mom, Amanda, knows how much that means. When Beary began swim lessons at the Gordon Family YMCA, water touching his head would make him break down in tears. He was so fearful of water, even washing his hair was a struggle. But in about six months, he went from being afraid of water on his face to willingly putting his head underwater and crying when it was time to leave the pool. The water became somewhere he wanted to go to feel better.
Finding His Place in the Pool
Beary is autistic, and large groups can be overwhelming. Amanda wanted to find an activity he could enjoy in an environment that worked for him. When he began showing interest in sitting in the river, she thought about the Y. Her niece and nephew had taken swimming lessons there, and she wondered whether lessons would help Beary, too.
He was apprehensive at first. His instructor took time to get to know him, asking questions about his interests and patiently helping him learn.
"I think it was the trust the instructors built with him," Amanda said. "That made a huge difference."
Knowing someone was there with him helped Beary become more comfortable trying. His instructor became so important to him that he was upset when she left to return to college.
For Beary, the instructors' approach made a frightening activity feel special.
"They always found a way to make me not be afraid of swimming anymore," he said.
Within the first week, Amanda noticed swimming became something he talked about constantly. Then she saw him raising his hand to go first in the pool.
"That's when I realized this was going to be his new thing," she laughed.
Confidence That Carries Beyond the YMCA
One milestone brought the progress into focus: Beary put his head underwater on his own.
Amanda remembered when he couldn't comfortably lean back to have his hair washed. Watching him choose to submerge himself in the water moved her and her husband to tears.
"We honestly didn't think we would see him comfortable around water, that's how bad his fear was," she shared. "And for him to discover something he loves so much... It was amazing."
The effects reached into daily life. Bath time became easier, and Beary even began taking showers. He wanted to swim during trips to the lake and visit friends with pools.
Amanda also noticed a decrease in the behaviors he struggled with while he was attending lessons. She believes that learning to control his breathing while in the water gave the family a skill to build on at home.
When Beary feels overwhelmed, his family is now helping him practice that same controlled breathing. Swimming gave him an opportunity to regulate his mind and body.
Beary recognizes a change in himself, too. When asked if he feels different after learning to swim, his answer comes without hesitation.
"I'm a brave kid now."