Years ago, I wrote a piece titled something along the lines of “The Golden Age of Entertainment.” The point to my long-winded story was that the members of my family were all in the perfect age range to enjoy the same shows, movies, humor, activities, etc. and that it was such a nice change. I’m glad I was able to step-back and appreciate this at that time, because my goodness, things have drastically changed once again…
After years of delays due to Covid and other factors, we finally got the entire family back together at our all-time favorite place, Hilton Head Island. Though our traditions are simple, they are deep-rooted in rich family history: poorly played golf in the morning & roast on the beach until sunset. That was until the new generation arrived.
My 2.5 year old niece, Asha and 1 year old nephew, Shubho made their inaugural trip to the island last week—baby bags, car seats, strollers, playpens, cribs, high chairs, viruses & all. While adorable, the rigidity of their schedules is difficult. Naps, snacks, play (which is just rolling in the sand after reapplying sunscreen), more snacks, lunch, play, 5:00pm dinner, bedtime. Dinner proved to be most interrupted as we were forced to move up roughly 3 hours from traditional times (5pm – 7pm is our favorite time of day on the beach) and cooking responsibilities rotated between groups of family members. Because of this, if it was your evening to cook, prep began around 3:30pm and your beach day was over.
Jokes aside, the trip was an absolute blast and the kids did wonderfully. I am hard pressed to think of a happier and more exciting activity than showing new loved ones your most beloved places.
