My husband and I love the beach. We are beach people, no doubt about that.
Give us the ocean in the background, sand beneath our toes and we are all set.
It can be a sunny day or a cloudy day, it really doesn’t matter. We love the beach.
Put a coffee in my hand and well…you’ve created my perfect day.
That is until Big Brother and Little Sister enter this serene picture.
Now don’t get me wrong, I love taking them to the beach.
They are obviously beach children.
They love the ocean, they love the sand, and they love…the rocks.
Not the little pebbles they find in the sand. Oh no, I’m talking about the boulders that apparently must be climbed on.
Every single last one.
My peaceful demeanor is suddenly replaced by gasps, by repeats of “be careful!” in several different tones and volumes.
My heart is racing and after about two minutes of watching them trying to scale each and every rock…
I am done.
I am done with the rocks.
The beach no longer looks peaceful to me.
However, the kids seem to be having a grand old time.
When they are not honing their rock climbing skills, they are darting to and from the ocean, showing no signs of stopping before they plunge into the depths of the ocean.
My anxiety rises with each passing minute.
I can’t stop the morbid visions playing in my head.
One slight misstep could mean an ugly gash on the face.
One second of gazing into the distance, could mean a wave sweeping them off their feet.
Come on my little daredevils, don’t you want to sit here with Mom and Dad and peacefully dig in the sand?
In one place, where I can see and feel you?
No, you don’t? Giving your parents a heart attack is much more appealing?
Alrighty then, here is your two minute warning. It will actually be more like one minute.
Because while you both see no harm in scaling the tallest of rocks and running full steam toward the ocean…my heart can only take so much.
Perhaps if my coffee was spiked with some Kahlua, we could have added a minute or two.
But, no, sorry, it’s the straight laced caramel macchiato variety.
Time to go before my head explodes.
Ahhh…the beach…we still heart you.
We will be back.
Even if only in five minute increments.
We love you that much.
Are you a beach lover too? How on earth do you keep your kids safe and stay sane while trying to enjoy a day at the beach?
I sadly realized a few years ago that the only time going to the beach now will be a vacation is if we leave the kids at home. 😉
I've noticed that so many of my formerly peaceful activities have a new level of anxiety thanks to the kids. While I'm so glad they're not content to sit still (how weird would that be – toddler and preschool boys should not be content with peace – ha), I still wish my days included fewer heart attack moments!
Do you think being a doctor makes you worry more in these situations? I always wonder about things like that. Like, you know TOO much and have visions of broken backs and being airlifted to a hospital type of fears.
We're a family of redheads, there are four kids (they're BOYS)…you can see that the beach is not an easy place for us. By the time I get everyone sunscreened, it's time for the second application! Do I have some beach stories! You should have seen me at the Grand Canyon. Did you know there's no railing? Crazy!
Climbing on those huge rocks at the beach is so fun, but it does worry me also. My husband & I have a policy to have one of us accompany the kids, even the older ones, whether climbing or in the water.
The beach has definitely lost it's relaxing vibe.
I love the beach too and the main place we go is in Bretagne, but that is super rocky too. I know exactly what you mean. My heart still lurches when I think of a time where I was pregnant and alone with my two kids when my three-year old (at the time) climbed on a wall with my back turned. He started walking on it (it was wide enough to be a path), but the drop off on the other side was *gasp – I can't bear to think about it.
My kids love the beach, too. I like Kahlua…it's been a while…hmmm.
Oh lord… the beach down south is a whole 'nother ball game. We've always loved to go, but up north, the water is so stinkin' cold that the children hardly went in the water… The first time we hit the beach down here. I almost lost my marbles… the water was so warm they were in up to their chests before Mamma could get the beach blanket spread out… my reaction was NOT pretty!
Oh, I know – my poor husband nearly has a heart attack every time the kids go to the park, let alone the beach. It's like the raw nerve endings of your own heart are wrapped around their little bodies!!
I'm laughing here, because it took me years to feel even slightly comfortable at the beach with mine! If they would be content to dig and build sandcastles, that's all good and relaxing. But climbing around looking at the tidepools (slippery rocks!!) and standing at the water's edge (dangerous waves!!) put me in a tizzy.
Maybe alcohol would've helped! But we do love the beach, and living so close we really don't go as often as we should!
I love the beach but spent so much time lifeguarding and teaching swim lessons in my youth that I have a hightened fear of drowning children. It will be a very LONG time before I take Bug to the beach.
What's a beach? I'm from Canada and all I see is snow and more snow 😉
The beaches around here don't have boulders but I do get nervous about the water. It's never a restful moment at the beach 😉
It's not relaxing with a kid. Then you have sand everywhere after it's over. Give me the pool any day!
The beach is definitely full of dangers! I only have one kid, so it was pretty easy setting down ground rules with her and making sure she stayed safe. She also appreciates the dangers of the ocean, so she's pretty sensible! Yay!
I worry too much too Dr. Mom. But I worry about the beach for different reasons than you! I can't hit the beach anymore because of the bathroom situation. It is too scary to comprehend doing again!
I am especially freaky at the beach because I personally can't swim. So I project all of my own fears onto the kids. Then my husband takes my 7 yo out past where the water breaks and I sit on the sand having heart attacks while he whoops it up, screaming with glee, as he boogie boards into shore.
I just have to take lots of deep breaths.
Having children puts a new perspective on everything. I used to love traveling. Now that I have a toddler? Too complicated.
We still do all the things we loved before we had a child, and I've had to make my peace with the fact that it will be a different kind of love now, one where you get a kick out of watching your kid fall in love with the same things that you adore.
You are sooo right! I'll have to admit that I choose lakes instead…the no large boulder variety. Why must children insist on being dare devils?
Love love love the beach…dragged my ass there 2 weeks after knee surgery just to feel the sand on m toes! We dig a hole for the kids…they love to get in and get out and get in and get out. It provides a lot of entertainment!
I'm exactly the same way. I feel like I'm always writing that on your posts, but it's true! My husband is always telling me to lighten up. But it seems whenever I do, he starts to freak out about the same stuff. I think he just counts on me being the worrier..and if I don't..it worries him, haha. Kahlua or Bailey's or Caroline's..mmmm sounding good right about now on this cold morning (not just a beach drink!)
Walking on the rocks was such a treat! I would hold my dad's hand & mom would stay on the beach, watching. It felt amazing to be out so far, surrounded by water. But I was a kid & didn't think of the possible dangers. When I'm a mom, I'll be packing the Kahlua!
I think we were sisters seperated at birth. Every single fear is the same here and I can never go to the beach and just "relax."
The money I would pay for a padded room for them to play in. Always.
I man, I am like this everywhere not just the beach and mine's not even walking yet!
I LOVE the beach, and the water in general. Kaia hasn't really gotten to enjoy it yet. We took her in Oct and stuck her toes in the sand but she was too little to get into any trouble.
I am a beach person and luckily live minutes from the beach. We all love the beach and strangely often vacation at beaches far away from the one down the street.
Within 15 minutes after arriving in Costa Rica a few years ago, my little girl slipped on a rock and GASH – her chin popped open. I tried a butterfly bandage but knew what was really required. We had to get the resort "doctor" out of the hot tub to put in a few stitches. And no, we couldn't keep her stitches dry – we swam and surfed and snorkeled.
Lucky for us we lived through that experience and I think I've relaxed a little bit since. We can't save them from any or most dangers. And really, I'd hate to have kids who didn't want to climb the rocks!
My kids and I love the beach! My hubby is the one with all the anxiety. Frankly I prefer to leave him at home because he stresses me out!
I am the same way, and I try SO HARD not to be. My ex neighbor is so laid back, and says, "if they get hurt, we'll handle it."
That's not in my DNA. I felt the fear clenching my heart as I read your description of your little ones scaling the rocks.
I'm just like that….
Oh, Melissa. I worry about absolutely everything.
I'm so grateful that my husband is more rational than I am and he helps to balance me out. Left to my own devices, I would have put both of my children in bubbles at birth!