What a difference a day makes

What a difference a day makes. Yesterday evening, after spending the day at my parents house, my kids and I had an opportunity to use the pool here at my apartment for the last hour before the pool closed for the day. My kids are 8 and 5 and are learning to swim. I bought each of them a swim vest or life jacket, whichever you prefer, so I could have both of them in the water with me without them having to hold onto me all of the time. This is not so much a problem for my daughter, the 8 year old. Last summer she became a fish and now jumps right into the water with no hesitation. Yesterday, my son, the 5 year old, would not leave the shallow end stairs, even though he was wearing his vest and despite my assurances to him that I would not let him get hurt.
I didn't think today was quite as hot as it was on Saturday, so it took me longer to get into and used to the pool water. My daughter jumped right in, as I knew she would. My son started out hesitant, but after about 10 minutes discovered that the vest really would prevent him from sinking and began to venture away from the stairs. Maybe he just wanted to follow his sister into the middle of the shallow end, I don't know. Anyway, soon enough he was swimming around the shallow end without fear, a 180 degree turnaround from Saturday, which was great to see. We spent the next 2 and a half hours poolside. My kids only got out of the water long enough to use the bathroom at the pool. I spent the entire time watching them. Sometimes in the water with them, sometimes on the steps near the water's edge, sometimes from a chair near the fence.
I should feel guilty, but I don't. After I got back to the apartment, my kids safely back at their mom's house, one of the first things I did was to throw my swimsuit back on and take a swim in the pool for a few minutes, by myself. And it was very relaxing.