Children are funny. And not just hysterically funny, which they are, but really strangely funny too. At least I sometimes find the toddler strangely funny, with his changeable obsessions (currently all things Backyardigans ), fickle palate (won't eat the same thing on successive days), and sudden fears (the dark and the beach). My mother says these are phases, as in, "Oh I wouldn't worry about it - he's just going through a phase." I'm not worried about any of it, although at times these "phases" can be trying, as in "trying my patience".
But as I mentioned previously, quality parenting requires loads of patience. It also occasionally requires outsmarting your child. So while I may be frustrated over the toddler's reticence in going to the beach, it is much more fruitful to circumvent the current fear. In other words, trick him. Since I want to go to the beach, we will go to the beach. Little Beach.
Little Beach is what some in this area call the Redneck Riviera. It is on the bay and lined with mangroves. The water is calm at Little Beach and each beachgoer has something of their own private area since access is limited to the inlets between mangrove stands. It is more mucky than sandy, but not as mucky as a lake. The toddler loves it there and we recently had a chance to take a family daytrip to enjoy each other and the beautiful weather.
But as I mentioned previously, quality parenting requires loads of patience. It also occasionally requires outsmarting your child. So while I may be frustrated over the toddler's reticence in going to the beach, it is much more fruitful to circumvent the current fear. In other words, trick him. Since I want to go to the beach, we will go to the beach. Little Beach.
Little Beach is what some in this area call the Redneck Riviera. It is on the bay and lined with mangroves. The water is calm at Little Beach and each beachgoer has something of their own private area since access is limited to the inlets between mangrove stands. It is more mucky than sandy, but not as mucky as a lake. The toddler loves it there and we recently had a chance to take a family daytrip to enjoy each other and the beautiful weather.
The toddler jumps right in . . .
splashes darling hubby . . .
kicks around in his floaty . . .
skips rocks . . .
and takes in the view.
We left our mark for the day, which by now is washed away. 
I got my day at the beach.
Mission accomplished.
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