Remember when you were single? A day at the beach meant calling a few friends, grabbing your towel and heading out. That all changed when the kids came along. Now, preparing takes almost as long as the drive there. You have to lather them with sunscreen, since it is better to let it soak in a bit before heading out into the sun. Then get them into their swimsuits. Of course, as soon as the suit is on, Sally needs to use the bathroom. Okay, take it off again and then put it back on.
Now for gathering the toys. Billy wants the blue pail and shovel, but all you can find is the red one. That will not do. He has a little tantrum and says in that case, he's not going. Somehow you manage to convince him the red one is much better. Sally hears this and decides she wants the red pail and shovel too. A small fight breaks out and you start wondering why you wanted to go to the beach in the first place.
But you do want to go and so do the kids. So you pack a lunch, because you know as soon as you get there, even though they have already had lunch, they will want a drink or a snack. But they can't go in the water after eating. By the time you explain to them why they can't go in the water, sufficient time has passed and they now can. Of course, this confuses them more. So you spend another half hour explaining why it's okay now.
After all is said and done, you have a great day. Just seeing how happy they are and how fascinated they are with the lake, you realize, spending a day at the beach with the kids is much more fun than it used be with your friends.
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