To swim or not to swim...

What can generate sheer excitement in any child...the unexpected news that you get to participate in a swimming class, during school hours for the final four weeks of school!  The course is offered for FREE (which makes the parents jump for joy) in the new pool at the Sports Education branch of the Turin University right here in town.  You have one week's notice before classes begin and you are thrilled that even the pre-school will be participating, making conversation in your household revolve constantly on the thought of swimming classes.

You start to get a sense of uneasiness that maybe this is all too good to be true, when you find out on Friday that Luca needs to get medical clearance from his pediatrician before Wednesday in order to participate.  Strange, that was not required for the elementary school.  Hmm.  But, okay you will do what you must.  Monday rolls around your daughter hardly sleeping the night before because she will be the first of the three to go to swim class.  You send off a child beaming from ear to ear on her way into school with the one time exception of her being allowed to bring a sack lunch to school to eat with her friends.  Mind you, they have been instructed to bring only a sandwich to eat.  They will be eating it 2.5 hours before getting into the pool for there must be sufficient time to digest their food.

You pick up your eldest son for lunch and hear the crushing news that his swimming is cancelled for the following day because of a medical issue that he can't explain or understand.  You begin to connect the dots that maybe they too need medical clearance and that most likely a very disappointed daughter will be picked up from school later that afternoon.  You call the pediatrician to request an appointment to receive the medical certificate necessary for participation.  The doctor tells you because it is a school activity occurring during school hours that no certificate is needed.  She will not sign your children off unless you are willing to pay 30 euros a head to do so.  90 euros!  Sorry kids, you will just have to wait until the summer for cheaper pool time.

You go to school to pick up your kids for lunch the following day and mothers are up in arms about the varying responses from pediatricians.  Some get free certificates, others pay 15 euros and those of you sharing the same pediatrician refuse to pay 30 euros.  The inter communication and conflict between the university, school and pediatricians makes you just want to throw your arms up in the air and say "forget it, this is not worth it".

You tell your children over dinner that they won't be able to participate in swimming this year.  Hearts are disappointed, but not angry.  They accept the news with grace and understanding.  The phone rings as you eat and it is the pediatrician.  She tells you that she will now give certification to your children for free, but the earliest appointment to do so is the end of next week.  That leaves just 2 lessons left for participation, but you are joyous at least for that small unexpected gift to relate to your children.

You now ask yourself, can you get away with sending your youngest to the pool tomorrow in hopes that having secured a date with the pediatrician that maybe they will allow him to participate.  You head to school ready to plead your case.  The teacher smiles the whole time you recount your story and then lets out that they received a Fax from the university late yesterday afternoon saying that a medical certificate is now NOT required for anyone, not now, not ever!  You smile and give a sigh of relief and think how very typical this type of communication and organization is.  Of course, maybe it was the public outcry of frustration that swayed someone to change their minds.

You tell your youngest child that his backpack and sack lunch were not packed in vain today and that he can go swimming.  His eyes light up and he jumps with excitement.  You say a prayer of thanks for this unexpected gift and walk away with an extra bounce to your step.  You cannot wait to tell the other kids of the news when you see them for lunch and put calling the pediatrician to cancel next week's appointment on your to-do-list.