Originally published in The Roasted Beat Volume 04 Issue 01
This may come as a shock to many readers, but I have to admit that my family and I weren’t exactly beach people growing up. We enjoyed vacations at the beach a handful of times, but it wasn’t so much a lifestyle for us as it is for so many people the second the warm weather greets the East Coast. Fast forward a few years to when I meet my husband, whose summers growing up in Avalon still bring a smile to his face. His memories are chock-full of recollections that touch even my beach-deprived heart – the joy of learning to ride his bike in the parking lot of Sacred Heart Church, the smell of pancakes and coffee permeating the beach house on lazy summer mornings, and the tingle of excitement when catching the first fish or crab of the season. His summers at the beach sound so simple, yet these are the moments that he holds dearly in his heart.
We now have a family of our own, and I am blessed with the opportunity to experience some of my husband’s fondest memories through the eyes of my children. I admit that it has somehow taken a dose of motherhood to unearth my own love for the beach again. This sort of appreciation resonates highly with me, since I often find myself caught in the crosshairs of raising children in today’s highly technological age. My hope is to strike some sort of balance between modern, hi-tech living and the simple joys of yesteryear, in which salt air and sandy beaches cure everything. I am very grateful that my children are already tech-savvy. They can easily operate a tablet and cell-phone, even as toddlers. My older son took up his very first video game not too long ago, and his ability to maneuver the players and navigate the operating system is far better than mine! And I even grew up during Y2K in the early 2000s – the age of technology!
Truth be told, my husband and I are not at all adverse to technological advances in our household. I admire my children’s quick adeptness and am aware that they will need these skills for their future, no matter the path they take. And yet, I also truly appreciate any opportunity to “get down to basics” again and introduce the simple things that ignite their senses and hopefully help to shape their childhood. Being at the beach allows me to parent in this simple kind of fashion effortlessly. I am thankful for any moment spent outside with no real schedule and every opportunity to take in all the pleasures that this little corner of world has to offer. Seeing my boys’ imaginations come to life when playing in the sand and water brings me the greatest joy. For us, time at the shore means less TV and internet and more simple pleasures. I once saw a home décor sign that read, “Caution: Free-Range Children.” My boys running around the beach is the exact image that this saying conjures up in my head. I can see their happiness, free-spirits, and sheer excitement of just enjoying beach life as little kids – much like my husband did when he was younger.
Ironically, I am now realizing that as much as my children need the fresh air and simplicity, my own soul is in need of it, too. Many parents worry about too much screen time for their children, but what about stressed adults? Often times I need technology for work, but the sheer act of putting my laptop or smart phone away does wonders for my own sanity and helps me to be a more engaged and mindful mother, especially in the throes of parenting. Plus, by forgoing technology for a bit, I am trying to model for my boys how to enjoy life without it. Experts say that parents are the biggest influences for children up until around age 12, when they start looking to peers for guidance. I’ll be the first to admit that it is hard to “disconnect” sometimes, but I tell myself to do so – not only for the little eyes that are watching, but for my own sake, too. Technology is an inevitable part of our world, and – as a modern-day mother – I know it is a great duty to both welcome it and teach my children how to use it in a healthy, productive way.
I may have some different childhood memories from my husband, but we share the same vision for our own children. I am undoubtedly grateful that we live in a region where beach living is so easily enjoyed and able to offer a little respite from tablets, smart phones, and the sometimes fast-paced world we otherwise live in. I would consider myself one very lucky mother if our summers are highlighted by visions of our children running around barefoot, with ice cream dribbled down their faces and hair tousled with saltwater and sand – if even for a brief part of the year. While technology aims to make our lives simple, these kinds of memories are life’s real simple pleasures that stay true to us forever.
