Swim time

Harry had his first swim class this week. And, in true Harry style, took it all in his stride.

I don't mean to come across as one of those doting parents who claim that their little bundle of joy is a Jose Mouriho, eg 'The Special One', after all it was just a swimming lesson in which the most significant challenge posed was having to listen to dad try to sing along to nursery rhymes while bounce him about in a heated hydrotherapy pool. But really, the kid does seem quite unflappable in most situations.

In this he takes solely after his mum. Rather than drop his bundle and have a sook (a method of 'dealing' which his father is known to favour), Harry applies the Wehrmann approach of implacable determination and quiet fortitude.

I on the other hand was a bundle of nerves. I was clearly the most out of shape parent in the pool (the iceberg technique of keeping 90% of my bulk under water is an excellent coping mechanism) but I was also one of only two dads in the group - and at least the other guy knew all the words to 'ring a ring a rosy'.

But thankfully Harry was a star and I was able to bask in his reflected glory. Pour water over his face and he gurgled with joy, flop him off the edge and he'd reach straight back for the wall (as opposed to one little munchkin that went a little Jacques Cousteau on us) and put him on his back and drag him along and those chubby wee thighs went kick, kick, kick.

Look out Thorpie.

I know there are bigger challenge to come, and for those we will both look to the measured guidance of his mum, but in the meantime I'm already practicing my ten second grabs for the Channel Seven cameras.

You know the ones.

Little junior has just won his third Olympic medal for Australia and the camera pans to the proud parents in the stands. The reporter joins said proud parents and asks 'How does he do it Mr Sutherland'.

And I'll reply 'Well a lot of hard work and determination obviously Laurie, but I'll be honest, I did lead the Bronte under 10s Nippers to victory in the Eastern Suburbs Surf Carnival so I suppose genetics had a fair bit to do with it too'.