A Day at the Beach

Today it was in the mid 80s here in Daytona and Skittles suggested we go to the beach. It was a brilliant idea. We took our metal detectors and all our beach toys. The water was freezing but Twizzler didn't mind a bit. He was running around in the water, splashing and kicking the spray. Skittles  made a huge sand castle. Well, Skittles  was more like a foreman. Afterwards, we buried Skittles  in the sand. Twizzler  dug a hole but wouldn't go in it. There is a splash park and a playground right on the beach that we ran over to and let the kids rinse off and burn some more energy. It was fun. 

After the beach we came home and barbecued. Then it was time to get to work and do some school. The words "Get out your binders," were not received enthusiastically. It was followed by "I hate school." Do your kids ever say that??? I kind of envisioned when I started this journey that my kids would love school because they were not going to have to learn everything in a traditional boring setting. I kind of thought they would get excited everyday. I kind of thought that if my kids ever said, "I hate school." I would feel like a failure. I want my kids to love learning, to love school. Today I learned a cold hard truth. Kids just don't like school. My son learned a cold hard truth also. TOO BAD! 

I pointed out to him that every other kid in our neighborhood was at school staring at 4 walls and daydreaming about being outside on a beautiful 85 degree day while he was at the beach building sand castles and splashing in a fountain. I also pointed out that he had no choice about whether or not he likes school. He has to do it anyway because that is the law. He is not entirely without choices though. He can go to public school if he wants to but then I will be spending my days at the beach without him. 

One more note.... whoever said "a day at the beach" in reference to something being easy, never took children to the beach. I remember the days when I used to just lay out and work on my tan. Now, I spend the whole time running back and forth from the water to the sand castle, telling the kids to "stop throwing sand", keeping our belongings from blowing or floating away. When I do get to go out in the water it is only knee deep and I just stand there staring at my kids, watching that they don't get ripped into the current. Add to that the dangers of our beach, cars driving back and forth and in and out of parking spots. I wish they would move the no drive zone to the same spot as the splash park and playground. The way it is set up now the City of Daytona might as well verbally invite its children to "go play in traffic". Finally you survive the day and it's time to go home. You have to knock the sand out of every piece of cloth, rinse out all the toys, rinse off the kids, and then wrap them up in blankets, towels, and seat belts so that your family and vehicle upholstery arrive home safely. As it turns out a day at the beach is "no day at the beach."