Lifesavers on a Beach Vacation
By Whitney
by Whitney
On a recent trip to San Diego with my in-laws, my family learned some valuable lessons in water safety.
First, in the swimming pool, we learned that my toddler has absolutely no fear of water and doesn’t see any reason to refrain from running straight into the pool and jumping in. If she is placed sitting in six or so inches of water in the kids’ area of the pool, she would rather be laying down, alligator style so that she can plunge her face into the water. Luckily, my husband has quick reflexes and was able to come up with a complicated double-hand-holding strategy that worked to keep her safe in the pool, although neither of them stayed dry.
Next, we learned that thong-style shoes will keep your feet from burning up on hot sand, hot asphalt and hot pavement. Flip flops, as we call them in my house, also prevent you from stepping on sharp shells and rocks at the beach. Our takeaway? Bring them, and more importantly, wear them. Bare feet will get you nowhere fast.
Finally, an unfortunate ocean kayaking experience landed my mother-in-law in the 50-degree ocean water (YIKES!) where she lost her camera and contracted an ear infection, but was otherwise unhurt beyond her pride. Lifejackets? Those things work! She floated over to another tourists pedal boat and they hoisted her aboard. Note that the water was so choppy that day, the rental place should not have allowed us to take kayaks out.
Summer is almost here. A few tips for the beach-bound family:
- If you are headed to the beach, take a minute to look up your destination’s website to check the water quality. Avoid an ear infection by staying out of water that’s not great for swimming.
- Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen.
- Tag team the supervision of little ones. We recommend this method for the pool, too.
- If you’re using a floating device, like a raft, stay where you are comfortable swimming without the raft as well.
- If you are a solo parent of more than one small kid, consider skipping the beach and creating an outdoor water play opportunity that’s easier to manage, like in your own backyard!
Photo by Whitney. Some rights reserved. Usage does not constitute photographer’s endorsement.
4 Responses to “Lifesavers on a Beach Vacation”
Leave a Reply
Share
A few days ago I found this blog and have been reading along steadily. I felt I might write my first comment. Im not sure exactly what to write but that Ive really loved perusing. Nice blog. I intend to keep coming back to this blog in the future. I have also taken your feed to get updates.
interesting stuff!
A few days ago I found this blog and have been reading along steadily. I felt I might write my first comment. Im not sure exactly what to write but that Ive really loved perusing. Nice blog. I intend to keep coming back to this blog in the future. I have also taken your feed to get updates.; A few days ago I found this blog and have been reading along steadily. I felt I might write my first comment. Im not sure exactly what to write but that Ive really loved perusing. Nice blog. I intend to keep coming back to this blog in the future. I have also taken your feed to get updates.;;
As a Newbie, I am always searching online for articles that can help me. Thank youWow!