Our family recently went on a great five day trip to St. Augustine Beach, FL. I highly recommend this spot as it’s a reasonable drive from Columbia and has great amenities and beautiful beaches. We went before the heat really set in, mid-May, so it was perfect!
As we were spending our days lounging on vacation, I realized there are a few different types of parents you always see at the beach.
1. The “Truly Southern Beach” Parent
They have a perfect tent set up at just the right angle to keep the right amount of shade. They have towels out that somehow don’t have sand on them and their kids are playing nicely in front of them. The kids are eating their organic snacks out of a reusable pouch of sorts. They have monogrammed water bottles and their little girls definitely have a bow in their hair. They will be there most of the day, but you will definitely find their kids all dolled up for dinner later that night.
2. The “I Literally Packed the Kitchen Sink” Parent
This parent has all the snacks, sandwiches, toys, water, sunscreen, hats, and sparkling water you need. They have a cooler, a stroller, a tent, more chairs than bottoms to put in them, and as always, a nice big pull along cart. Of course, they have a tailgate tent, too. They are not leaving the beach anytime soon and they don’t have to. They are there for the long haul. If the kids need to pee, they go in the ocean. They don’t leave this spot they’ve claimed until the sun sets. You can find them passed out on the couch later that night. The sun will do that to you.
3. The “Did We Even Plan on Coming to the Beach Today?” Parent
This parent shows up at the beach with one singular towel and a child in tow. They probably are wearing just shorts and a t-shirt, but their kid is in a swimsuit. They clearly only walked to the water because their little one them asked to. They had no plans to get sand in their clothes or water on their feet, but here they are. Their kid probably runs quickly into the ocean and quickly back with a big smile on their face, but the parent is done. It’s probably the last day of vacation and they are over it. You will probably find them on the highway later that night driving back home.
4. The “We’ve Done This Before” Parent
They have a modest set-up. A few toys, some snacks, sunscreen, and towels. They plan on being there a few hours, but not too long. Their kids play in the sand and pop in and out of the ocean at their own leisure. They get just enough sun before they pack up their reasonable load of personal belongings and head back to relax. You will probably find them at a local restaurant drinking a craft beer while their children play cornhole.
