Motherhood is No Day at the Beach

A lot has happened in the past two years since I've written anything on this blog, including two little things like giving birth and getting a new job. But now that I am working for a parenting magazine and have been reading through tons of articles about this topic, I felt the need to put fingers to keyboard and begin spewing my thoughts once again to add to the plethora of point of views already existing on the internet.

Now that I've made my re-introduction, I thought I'd start off with what it means to be a parent at a beach versus the pre-motherhood days of what was once known as "relaxing."  I put it in quotes because what was once known as "relaxing" is now more like "let me sit down for 5 minutes and not worry about my daughter freaking out that there is sand in her toes or that she just put a rock in her mouth and wants nothing to do with the ocean." It is now a much different experience. I wouldn't say it's worse... just different.

It is mid-July and I have now gone to the beach with my nearly 2 year old about eight times.  I was hoping she would be one of those kids that just dives right in to all the sand toys and wants to jump the waves; however she is more of the type of kid who constantly asks to go the beach but then when she gets there is super clingy, scared and whiny. There was no time to lay down and tan or take a long walk. No time to even go swimming because once I walk towards the water she wants to come with me, but not really because that would require actually getting in the water. So I realize quickly that I will need to adjust my way of what it meant to go to the beach, and now switch in to mom at that beach. In the end it was a success! Here is how it was done.
Step 1: Let child sit on lap while on the sand and ignore the fact that your entire bathing suit is now filled with sand.
Step 2: Point out constantly all the children having fun in the sand and water
Step 3: Hold child while standing in the ocean - but do not attempt to dip child or there will be screams of murder in your ear!
Step 4: Collect rocks and shells to show that there is fun to be had
Step 5: Fill a bucket with water and constantly wash off sand from child's hands and feet
Step 6: Take child to a wave-less tide pool to play in sandy water and look for crabs.
Step 7: Buy an icey!

And once the child finally becomes comfortable with the beach it is time to go home.  Child then asks to go to the beach every day except you are living in an apt in Brooklyn where the closest body of water is the East River. Yay Summer!

Picture caption: Not my child!