Last week, I attempted the beach again. In order to increase my chances of enjoying the experience, I used all your suggestions from my post two weeks ago (check out my beach-hating pie chart here).
Namely— waterproof diapers, a two-piece bathing suit (I previously considered a baby in a bikini slightly "Toddlers and Tiaras", I now view it as insanely practical), sunscreen application at home, and going to the beach with as many people/potential babywatchers as possible (thus more chance of diverting my eyes to something important like Star Magazine— for shame, Ashton Kutcher!)
I even took into account some more positive aspects of "bringing a toddler to the beach" that I ignored last time.
For example, if you are carrying a toddler, than you are not expected to carry a beach chair. Also, once it is determined that it is time to pack-up and go home, you can use occupying said toddler as your excuse not to participate in the clean-up. (Genius!)
Beach enjoyment becomes even more possible if your toddler has no separation anxiety and you are not paranoid of strangers. If these two things are true (as they are for me) then you can relax and eat a sandwich while your kid wanders over to a neighboring group of people and holds court for twenty minutes.
WARNING: THIS ONLY WORKS IF YOUR KID IS SUPER CUTE.
So let's review.
• Sunscreen Application Annoyance: Huge improvement when applied at home
• Diaper Changing Difficulty: Waterproof diapers and a two-piece bathing suit make changing much easier (though wind, sand, poop and salt water are still a disgusting combination)
• Baby Watching Level of Alertness: Bringing extended family members who think hanging out with your kid is a novelty means less of your own attention is required
• Set-up and Breakdown: Having the responsibility of a toddler is beneficial since you can use it as an excuse to not participate
All this seems to suggest that my opinion of the beach has reversed itself. Is that true?
NO.
Why?
SAND.
None of the things listed above do anything to increase my tolerance or diminish the prevalence of sand. And my agenda (having as little sand contact as possible) seems to be in direct conflict with Mazzy's agenda (covering herself from head to toe with sand and then spreading it like an airborne disease on a plane).
SO.
Unless anyone can tell me how to:
a) keep Mazzy from going into the water, rolling around in the sand and then running repeatedly across myself and the beach blanket
b) control my gag reflex when I see Mazzy's sand-covered little hand clutching her sippy cup of milk, or
c) invent a sand repelling breathable toddler beach bubble…
then my opinion of the beach remains mostly unfavorable.
The only thing that will keep me keep going back are potential moments like the one below. I found this video on Mike's phone from our original trip to the beach. It's the first time Mazzy stepped into the ocean.
So worth it. (I think.)
I love the beach but I absolutely hate having sand EVERYWHERE! Love that video!
I’m sorry, I have no idea what you just wrote – that video completely distracted me. I am so taking Monkey to the beach. The sooner the better.
We love the beach…but sand always had a way of following us home. One thing that helps is to bring a gallon of water or two (I just buy 2 gallons of spring water from the grocery store because I am lazy). When its time to go home, we rinse off the kids right next to the car. It helps.
When they were younger, they spent most of their time at the beach trying to drown themselves. Now that my kids are 7 and 5 I pay almost no attention to them at the beach. Our last trip (3 months ago) I feel asleep in the beach chair. Another example of stellar parenting on my part. Luckily my husband is a better supervisor then me.
Baby Powder repels sand. Of course, you have to be dry to use this method.
I still haven’t gone to the beach more than twice with my kids. I’ll be going a lot when we’re in Maine though. Hopefully there will be showers with some water pressure.
Sand is gross, but my main concern is the amazing ability I and my kids have to burn the second the sun comes out.
Normally I travel with my mom and grandmother and entourage of Greek relatives on our yearly vacations to south Florida… we stay in a nice resort so the lying down chairs (as I like to call them) and umbrellas are already there for us, and once we get to the beach and I set up the toys, I slowly walk to the bar to sip a pina colada. 😉
Truly, though the beach can! be! fun! with toddlers and children. Especially if there is a pool nearby.
We just got back from Maine, and my three year old fell asleep in the little tent we brought with us. I had to wake him up as the tide was coming in and he FREAKED OUT for a good 20 minutes. Screaming so loudly the entire beach could hear him. It was brutal and very annoying. I guess… it’s hard… but fun?!
We go to the beach every year with out now 6,5, and 2 year old boys. It is the highlight of their summer. We always stay where there is a pool, so a quick, after beach dip takes care of most of the sand issues 🙂
One good thing about sand, my feet and hands always end up much softer without having to pay for a mani and pedi!
how about one of these for the beach??? 🙂
http://www.zorbchina.com/
We did a complete strip down and held Mazzy under the outdoor shower but she still had sand all over when she got home.
It does look like a lot of parents let their kids run free as they get a little older. Sounds glorious.
Someone mentioned baby powder the last time and I completely forgot about it. Thank you for reminding me!
Mazzy’s got ezcema so we have to take extra care not to keep her out there too long too.
Someone suggested last time that I try joining a beach club and renting a cabana for the summer. That way you get the beach set-up for you by the staff. I would LOVE that. But someone would have to drug my husband to get him to agree to it.
This is true! I will add exfoliating powers to my pros list.
Holy crap! An inflatable hamster ball for humans!!! I smell the next Mommy Shorts giveaway…
the best thing about it is you won’t have to worry about drowning your toddler, it floats!!!
I second the talcum powder. Also I have learned you can also vacuum your child and much of the sand comes off. Use a dustbuster or hand held attachment. I learned that from other Mom’s, but have not needed to use it myself. The talcum powder works wonders. If you feel like spending more money then buy one of these: http://www.leapsandbounds.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=537478&cmSource=Search
How about the sound sleep after expending all that energy in the surf and sand? My kids end up sleeping like the dead after a day at the beach.
A mom’s gotta do what a mom’s gotta do….
Baby powder and an extra towel to shimmy the sand off.
The video is ADORBS and I SO MISS THE GOLD COAST!
Yeah, I think your stuck with the sand thing.
No two ways around it.
(Ok, in the middle of this comment, I read a mail from MommaKiss and accidentally typed “you’re stuck with the bitch-slapping.” Which, while possibly true, I suppose, would have made NO sense. That MommaKiss is SUCH a bad influence.)
She is totally adorable.
We avoided the beach with kids for quite a while. I myself hate sand. To have it in kid’s crevaces and our food and their hair? No thank you.
Now though, we can handle it – like once a year 😉 Thank God for the pool.
And Tankini suits rock — as much coverage as a one piece but much, much easier for diaper changing (and once potty trained, going potty).
The video is absolutely adorable!! I can’t wait until munchinks are old enough to go to the beach!
separating toddlers/kids from sand is like separating toddler/ kid fingers from noses … the attraction is stronger than neodymium magnets. You will have better luck figuring out a way to develop selective blindness to sand.
Nothing like a bunch of random strangers to use as entertaiment for your toddler. I just hope we are never the random strangers that are trying to read a book in peace..
That video is priceless. Such bravery!
The beach is a hell we mother’s must endure. Such crap. xo
I told you about baby powder last time – it really does work. It’s shocking.
But seriously?
I now need a video of you vacuuming Mazzy.
Vacuuming? with a Dustbuster? I’m dying…
I have heard the baby powder trick, too, but the vacuuming and hamster wheel have much more video appeal, so I think you should try those first 😉
We have opposite sand philosophies in our family as well. My philosophy is: “a little goes a long way”; Abbey’s is: “it’s only a good day if I get wet, then dive headfirst into the sand and roll around until I am covered.”
As a Florida resident, I side with you on the sand is a vile entity thing.
My kids loved to eat it. Eat sand. I have no clue.
And that video is incredible. It’s such a cool thing to watch a little one experience something as majestic as the sea for the first time.
You’re such a plucky individual, you are. So intent on avoiding what is the unavoidable outcome of giving up and just getting sand all over yourself. It happens by, say, age 2 years, 8.5 months. One day, you just sit your butt down in wet sand, make a dribble sandcastle, and acknowledge defeat. Admittedly, this may go hand-in-hand with discovering that you have a slight muffin top, have begun to eat bunny-shaped crackers as a regular snack, and sing the theme song to “The Fresh Beats” when alone. Not that I would know anything about that, of course.
BUT YOU WILL.
Check the stance on Mazzy, commanding the crowd.
GET THAT KID AN AGENT!
Video? Punch-you-in-the-face adorable. I mean, really.
Finally, what did Ashton do??? It won’t let me see because apparently,
“The content of this website is not available in your area.”
Rude.
After reading this, I suppose I should feel blessed that my 2 year old HATES the sand and absolutely refuses to go near it! That’s my boy! lol
We live very close to the beach and the water and have discovered an ingenious trick. Baby powder!
Just sprinkle it on and the sticky sand falls off.
Granted, you might have a little baby-ghost running around, but I’m telling you, nothing works better!
At the beach today. Hotter than well, you know. I could only take an hour. Hosed her off outside, but still when we got inside to remove the suit a cup (yes! a cup!!) of sand was in the crotch area and now all over the bathroom floor. How she was able to walk with that there I don’t know.
We’re doing the pool this afternoon.
Keep up the good work, mommyshorts, love your posts. 🙂
Baby Powder will help get the sand off quickly! I grew up on the beach and this is tried and true. Now getting Mazzy to stand still long enough to make this happen is a new blog waiting to happen! Love your blog!
I absolutely died laughing about the “free babysitters” strangers. That is EXACTLY my daughter! At 16 months old she is walking up and down the beach waving and saying hi to every single person, and every single person stops what they’re doing to talk to her and adore her blue eyes and curly hair. Extra 15 minutes of sitting-by-myself time. Score! And I couldn’t agree more about everything else in this post as well 🙂 I have a love/hate relationship with the beach right now. Until my daughter is out of diapers, and understands and obeys, “go wash off before you sit on this towel” I will feel the same.
I still harbor memories of being little and literally pouring sand out of my bathing suit when I got home from the beach. EWWWW.
She’s so brave! Love those cute little steps
Not sure if you know or not but baby powder is the perfect way to get sand off yourself and your toddler. Put baby powder on your hands and then rub down the area you want to remove sand and like magic it dries the sand and comes off easily. We use this technique with out little guy before we put him in the car for the ride home. Hope this tip helps 🙂
[…] will be pool days and beach days and trekking across the hot sand with about 500 lbs. of supplies. Is taking the kids to the beach worth it? I still haven’t figured that one out. But we do it […]
Great pictures! I love the Exersaucer! My daughter has a jumperoo and she loves it! Your little man is so cute. My tiny little 7 month old weighs 16 too! lol
Ha! Well I don’t like reversing over roadkill after already running it over, but perhaps down the line I will. Really liked Brendan’s recent post “Voluntourism: What you need to know before signing up” – will let that resonate with readers for a while, and if I happen to find a new way of looking at the subject or a unique approach, will go for it.