From the
very first time he went into the ocean he loved it. He kept crawling toward it
and we had to pull him out because as Ted says, “He’s braver than he is smart.”
He will just keep going out into the water and not think anything of it.
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| The first time Teddy went to the beach when he could walk (1 1/2 yrs old) |
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| He didn't have to go in holding someone's hand (2 1/2 yrs) and stayed there until dragged out |
Two years
ago this became a big problem. He didn’t want to get out of the water and I
didn’t want to spend the entire day standing there with him, so I would let him
go in by himself.
Don’t worry,
I didn’t let a four year old just wander around, at this point in time I didn’t
take the kids to the beach by myself. We would go and there would be at least
five adults, someone was always watching.
I had to
keep going and telling him he was in too deep. My dad said something about a
line, and it dawned on me. I had a Sharpie in my bag. I called Teddy over and
drew a line right on his stomach. I told him he couldn’t go out in the water
past that line or he would have to come and sit down.
 |
| His first line (it was high because someone still sat close to the water) |
I worked
like a charm. I am a genius! I don’t have to keep getting up and telling him to
come closer anymore.
The level of
the line can change depending on the waves or how well he stayed below it the
last time.
 |
| This week's line |
He knows if
he sees me standing at the edge of the water with my hands on my hips that he
went too far. He doesn’t even argue about it anymore. He comes out, he sits
down (it’s usually the only time I can reapply sunscreen), has a bite to eat
and then he goes back out when he’s done his time.
 |
| This is what happens when you go past the line |
It usually
happens once or twice at the beginning of the summer, the more he does it the
longer he has to sit.
We’ll see
how many times he has to sit this summer.
