Yaya told me a complete and clear story Tuesday night in the car about what happened to her in her swimming class.

Y: there's a swimming teacher whose name is Joe. Today he insisted putting only two belts(floats) on me. I cried.
M: I guess that is because you are a better swimmer. If you don't like two, you should use your words and let him know, not crying.
Y: I told him that i wanted three belts a lot of times, but he didn't listen. Then i began to cry.
M:(became very curious)Then what happened?
Y:Willa(Yaya's teacher in her classroom) came and asked me what was wrong and put three belts on me.

I was a little puzzled by her story and asked Willa yesterday afternoon at pick-up. It turned out that Joe(the swimming teacher) did think yaya was becoming better and wanted her on two floats only. But she didn't agree to. Then Willa settled it by showing her a three-float belt, while putting the two-float belt on her without letting her know. Since she didn't know, it worked out fine. I was a little relieved because it is not a case of techer-ignoring-kid which every parent hates, but in the mean time, i know we've got another new project--help Yaya build her self-confidence. Last night, Yaya might be exhausted after waiting with me in the daycare to go home, and she was usually sad before sleep. When i tucked her in bed, she cried and said that she was still afraid that the teacher will still put only two belts on her, she would get water in her ears, the teacher would not listen to her, she wanted me to go and watch her swimming....She was finally calmed down when i promised that i would let her classroom teachers know she wanted them to her belts on, not the swimming teachers. This morning, her sadness and worries forced me to decide to go to the gym.

Unfortunately, even though Willa played the same trick, Yaya found out she was wearing two floats before going into the pool and began to cry. I guess Willa finally decided to change into a "real" three floats for her. She seemed fine with water, did everything following the teacher's instruction. Then one of the swimming teachers, once again decided to change the number of her floats. She began her cry right away, yelling"mommy....i don't want two..." I was vey upset at that moment and didn't know what to do, but i thought it would not be good if i interfered the class. Therefore, i just remained where i was and watch. An older teacher later went up to Yaya, and said something to her, amazingly she stopped crying and tried her best to swim normally. I was so happy to see it and heard the teacher encouraging her"see? you are good, you can do it..." I know we still need to work on this with her, but i am indeed glad that she at least stopped crying and put her attention back to swimming again.