Parenting Guru: My top five tips for surviving a week at the beach with kids

Melanie Myatt

As soon as the kids finished school back in June, we hopped in the car for a week-long vacation on the gulf coast. Now we are getting ready to spend another week on the shores of Lake Michigan, which we have done every summer for the past 4 years. Thankfully, since we have done this so often, planning and packing are not nearly as stressful they used to be.

My first trip felt like a lot more work than vacation. Now that I know better what to expect, I can actually look forward to our time at the beach. These are my top tips for making a beach vacation a true vacation...

Tip #1 - Pack light. As soon as the kids get up in the morning, they can't wait to get to the water. We usually change right from pajamas into our swimming suits. By the time we are done at the water, the kids are just as happy to put on their pajamas again. When we go to the beach for week, I only pack a few outfits for each kid since I know that most of our time will be spent in swimsuits and pajamas. This means, when we get home, I have a lot less laundry to worry about than I would otherwise.

Tip #2 - Protect your kids from the sun. Obviously we have all heard the cautions about slathering on sunscreen and staying out of the sun, but it is nearly impossible to have fun at the beach if you stay inside all day! Knowing our kids will have such a concentrated amount of time in the sun on our vacation, I buy each child a UV-protective swimshirt for the summer. No matter how much sunscreen I put on and how often, spending such a concentrated amount of time in the sun is going to result in a sunburn. By dressing my kids in the swimshirts, we avoid sunburns on their shoulders and backs, which is where they get the most exposure. Now if only I could get them to wear their hats!

Tip #3 - Keep meals quick, cool and easy. Nobody wants to leave the fun in the sun to go inside and cook a big meal for everybody. Pick meals that come together quickly and easily without turning on the oven for too long. Buy a rotisserie chicken or two ahead of time and pull it apart for quick quesadillas, an addition to salads or for barbecue chicken sandwiches. My favorite meal choice is giving my husband the task of grilling meat and veggies for supper. He gets to feel "manly," and I get to stay at the beach longer!

Tip #4 - Allow for exhaustion. As fun as it is to spend the day in the sun, being in the heat, water and wind can really sap the energy out of your kids. It isn't unusual for our kids to go to bed earlier than they do when they are not on vacation, as odd as that may seem. Naptime might be recommended even for older kids. As loudly as my kids complain when we tell them to lie down in the middle of the day, we are all happier when they have had a chance to rest and regroup.

Tip #5 - If you can relax, your kids can relax. Often I hear about families planning beach vacations by filling up their days with a lot of activities besides being on the beach, out of concern for their kids' boredom. We give our kids some sand toys, a few floats and a pair of goggles, and let them create their own fun. When we lower our expectations for activity and busyness, our kids are able to lower theirs and just enjoy splashing, make believe, creating in the sand, making up games and races and just remembering how to be kids. I have been amazed each summer at the various activities my kids have invented with just a few buckets and shovels, goggles and a float.

I have to remind myself that a week at the beach is supposed to be my vacation too. If I take on too much with packing, cooking, cleaning and planning entertaining activities, I am sure to come home more exhausted than when I left. By following these tips, I look forward to our vacation each summer as a time of refreshment and relaxation.