Crossing My Fingers

On Thursday, Middle Guy had his first high school swim meet:

It was important for me to be there for support, but I had one concern holding me back.

A 42 inch, 38 pound concern named "Little Guy".

Swim meets are hard for him to handle, as we found during our daughter's swimming career. The noise becomes amplified from the water, and the spectators are often crowded together. Little Guy is extremely sensitive to noise...and this type of atmosphere is very difficult for him.

The best alternative would be to leave him home, but that isn't always an option - and Little Guy needs to learn how to cope in the real world. This meet had fewer schools attending, and was held at a facility with an outdoor play area. I decided to chance it, crossing my fingers and hoping for the best.

Even with the playground, Little Guy was having a hard time regulating himself. He began getting anxious and upset over trivial things, and ended up crying half the time. It's obvious we're going to have to come up with some sort of strategy - or this will end up being a really long swimming season. I'm thinking maybe a pair of ear plugs or an i-pod filled with his favorite tunes might help him adjust to the noise level a little better.

Today, I find myself crossing my fingers yet again. Tomorrow is the children's program in church, and I'm not sure what to expect from Little Guy. A practice was held yesterday, and Little Guy struggled during it. Afterwards, I spoke with his Primary teacher and we came up with a few ideas. Needless to say, I'm really hoping they work!