Sweet Summer Fun - Part 5

I spoke way too soon about how fantastic he was and what a joy to be around. OMG! Somebody shoot me now!

For a few months now, my friend Kristin and I had it on the calendar to take the kids to Chesapeake Beach on Thursday, July 29th. I knew I'd be there two times earlier in the month with the whole family and could gauge how easy it would be to attempt this on my own with the kids. Both prior visits were amazing experiences and it got me very excited to return back on a random Thursday when most people are at work or on a real beach vacation elsewhere.

Taking two active, spirited kids by myself was a piece of a cake. Why, you ask? Because for the 3.5 hours we were there (10:00am to 1:30pm), Ian never got off his beach chair. He sat there and complained on and off the entire time we were there. I am not kidding. "I don't like the beach." "I hate the sand." "I am sooooooo hot." "I don't want to be here." "I don't want to go in the water." "I don't like the sun." "This is not my summer." "My day is off to a bad start." "I just want to relax."

In between the complaints, I'd also hear the following, "What time is it now?" "What time will we eat lunch?" "What time are we leaving?" And this pattern would repeat itself often enough to be ridiculously annoying.

I was ready to strangle the kid!! Although, because Ian wouldn't budge from the beach chair (positioned directly under the umbrella, mind you), I was able to devote all my time and attention to Samantha. She was having a fantastic time and her temper tantrums and screaming were at a minimum. I guess I got better at either figuring out what she wanted or could read her mind faster than she was able start communicating. The big downfall was her lunch -- potato chips, chocolate chip cookie, and chocolate ice cream. I guess I covered all the major food groups with that variety, right? But at this point, am I really going to start arguing with a 2 year old to eat her sandwich when I was already having such major issues with the 5 year old? I think not.

Looking back, I wonder if I set us up for failure. I have a feeling it would've been a very different experience for all of us, if Ian had even one of his best buddies there to play with. In the past we had gone several times with Ethan and his mom. Ian and Ethan would play for hours on end and the time flew by. You didn't even know they were there unless it was time to eat or they needed a drink.

I am now rethinking camp being only 3 days a week for Ian. It's never too late to add in Thursdays and Fridays, right? We still have 3 weeks to go before we will have 2 weeks entirely open without even camp being offered. Oy!

Chocolate ice cream before the ride home. Good for what ails you. Ian finally has a smile on his face.