For a mama who is more of a “rocks and docks” gal, I end up spending a lot of time in the sand and surf. Along with regular visits to the cottage, our family goes on a big beach holiday with our extended family every two years. As a result, my kids spend a fair bit of time rinsing sand from undesirable places.
Going to the beach is a big job for any mama – especially if you want to spend the whole day there. A lot of organization is involved, so hopefully these few tips and tricks will make your time in the surf a little less stressful.
My kids take after me when it comes to skin tone. My tanning history goes like this: freckle, burn, peel, repeat. While our family should have shares in a sunscreen company, I’m a big fan of actually covering up the fair skin I bestowed upon my children. Their bathing suits are a throwback to the late 1800s and they may not look super cool in their wide-brimmed hats, but no one is getting skin cancer under my watch.
A beach tent serves multiple purposes – it’s a great place for a midday nap, a time-out and also serves as a great storage place if you have a cooler full of icy adult cocktails! But don’t forget to leave room in that cooler for loads of kiddo drinks and snacks. A day at the beach is thirsty work for our sandcastle building and body surfing beach bums. If you’re brave enough to drag your newborn along, there are special wee tents that will give them all the peace and protection a babe could ask for. If you want to skip the tent, grab an umbrella and a great beach blanket and it’s surfs up!
Beach shoes: If you’ve got the kinda kid who is going to freak out at the cottage if a leech grabs hold, you may want to invest in a pair. On that note, keep a salt shaker handy. Salt is good for more than tequila.
Disposable Swimpants: No one wants to mess around with poop at the beach. Disposable swimpants can make the awkward beach poop as pleasant as possible. Don’t forget the wipes and a plastic bag.
Ziploc bags: use these for packing up a first aid kit (Band-Aids, AfterBite, Polysporin). You don’t want a minor injury to ruin your day at the beach. Ziplocs are also great for storing your wallet, keys, tech gadgets, etc.
Beach season is upon us. Hopefully a few of these tips will help you prepare and stay sane as you try to avoid frying your family in the sun!
Oh, and one last thing – don’t let your kids see the trailer for Jaws before heading to the ocean. Sadly, I learned that lesson the hard way.
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