On Bravery

Last week Simon was very nervous about going to swimming lessons. He'd been fine the first time, but for some reason, was extremely apprehensive about going the second time. When I picked him up he claimed injury in several places (i.e. "I banged my shoulder earlier. I don't think we can go to swimming lessons."). When this failed as a tactic he grew silent. He did not want to get out of the car when we got to the rec center.

Me: Maybe you could pretend to be somebody really brave. Like a knight.

Simon: I don't want to be a knight.

Me: Or Spiderman.

Simon: Spiderman isn't real.

Me: Well, can you think of somebody real who is brave that you could be?

Simon: Who's that guy, where there were two teams, and one team was smaller than the other team but they won anyway?

Me: 

Simon: From Sunday School.

Me: Judah Maccabee?

Simon: Him, yes. I want to be him.

This impersonation (which involved brandishing his towel as a shield from the presumed onslaught delivered by the kids (aka the Syrian army) leaving the rec center after the previous class), at least, got him in the door of the building and into the changing room. 

Coming out of the changing room, he decided to just be Simon again, and proceeded into the pool.