Am I mad for considering taking the DC's to the beach tomorrow?

[Vagaceratops]

Its a 2 hour journey on the train.

DC's are 11, 5 and 3. 5 yo has SN.

Would you do it?

[anditwasallyellow]

Definitely go for it, just make sure that you're super organised.

What's the worst that can happen?

[JumpingThroughHoops]

Well, if you go to Brighton beach (looking @ news pics) no one will ever see you again! Pick somewhere with less human traffic! and enjoy!

[Vagaceratops]

It would be Skegness

[WelshMaenad]

No.

I live near a beach so I can go when the mood takes me, which us not often, to be honest, especially in summer. You have to carry shitloads of equipment. Sand gets everywhere. Anything you need to buy because you've forgotten it (drinks, spades, sanity) require a remortgage. You invariably miss bits with the sunscreen so children get patchily burnt OR you plaster their face with screen then they have a tantrum and faceplant the sand, resulting in an exfoliating facepack and hours of screeching. There are millions if poorly behaved OPKs, chavvy arses swigging 'Bow and screaming "Shakira, give your brother 'is fuckin' bucket back!" and chain-smoking lambert and butlers.

No. Find a nice country park or public paddling pool, take a blanket and a picnic, and leave the beach well alone!

[JumpingThroughHoops]

Or find a pebble beach with rock pools.

[timewastingaway]

Hell no! I took my 3 to the beach today...great idea i thought.

They are 5, 2 and 8 months.Never have i been so close to a mental breakdown!
The beach was heaving....5 and 2 yr olds wanting to go in the sea but not possible with the 8 month old too so we were resigned to paddling.This meant that i had to leave my things unattended too which wasn't great.

After a while it was grumpy, hot, sand stickied children, a pop up sun tent that wouldn't go back in the case, a screaming baby and me in meltdown.

NEVER.EVER.AGAIN

But please, feel free to give it a go

[Vagaceratops]

That sounds like hell :(

[LaaDeDa]

I took mine to the beach today and we had a brilliant day!
They found loads of friends to play with and collected hermit crabs in a bucket.
Hopefully they are now very tired too...

[GateGipsy]

LOL at some of the comments.

Sure I'd go. But I'd make sure I took plenty of everything with me. I never worry about leaving things unattended, as long as I have all my valuables in a bag. I have a sort of container thing on a strap that's water proof.

I'd just get there super early. I've left at 6am before. You have a lovely hot beach that's not too crowded, and by the time the kids are tuckered out and ready to go home it is just getting crowded. It is well worth doing the early thing. Is what I wanted to do tomorrow but have opted for the local paddling pool instead as hubs just doesn't do heat at. all. Going to the seaside next week when it's cooled down!

[JumpingThroughHoops]

I went to the beach once.... I thought it would be a nice day .... then another family arrived (think she was the au pair TBH), 4 flaxen haired little cherubs with ringlets (all under 5) skipped hand in hand down the beach, helping each other...then I looked at mine three littlies all going in different directions, whacking each other with buckets and spades....

[crypes]

Ive been at Sandown beach for 2 days running with family and its been absolutely glorious. The only problem, getting the kids to come out of the sea!

[shrimponastick]

Sounds fun to me. Can you rope in the oldest DC to help you keep tabs on the younger two?

I like Skegness - it is a fantastic long beach.

The weather looks perfect for tomorrow - high of 23C.

[KittyFane1]

Yes but get organised now!
My beach list:
Dress each DC in shorts and t shirt
Spare clothes for each DC
Towels
Comfy shoes (preferably ones that can get wet and will dry quickly
Talcum powder for when getting changed to come home.
Sun cream
Sun hats
Something to sit on
Money for ice cream
Sandwiches and big bottle of water or squash
Money for fish and chips before hometime (if you want)
All of this in big bag hooked onto buggy.
Small bag across chest to keep money and train tickets safe
Find an area of beach not in the middle of crowd.

They will love it! Go!!

[Xmasbaby11]

It's too far. Don't bother.

[StellaAndFries]

I'm taking my dd's to the beach tomorrow, lucky for me my mum, nan and grandad will be taking me and my 4dd's as dp had a vasectomy yesterday and doesn't feel up to it. I've already put the bottles of squash in the freezer, swim suits in the bag and have a pile of clean towels ready to go. Just the picnic and getting them all washed and dressed to do in the morning.

[IwishIwasmoreorganised]

I wouldn't!

Welshmaenad's explained why not very well!

We live 5 minutes away from a lovely sandy beach. We were there by 8am this morning and left just after 10am.

I know people who have queued for over an hour to get a train home from this beach at the end of the day, then not had a seat on the train home for their journey of over an hour. I think it is the train journey that would put me off the most tbh op.

What have you got nearer to home in the way of parks, outdoor swimming pools etc?

[debka]

I was at the beach at 8.20 today, we left at 10 when the Great Unwashed started arriving (and DD1 had her jabs).

Was heaven, but only because we were there so early and it wasn't hot or busy.

[debka]

x post organised- great minds eh!

[ken0eddie0kennedy]

I wouldn't. But that's irely because it's Skegness & I can't stick the place.

[ken0eddie0kennedy]

Purely. Not irely!

[DowagersHump]

I'm going but it's at the end of my street and we have a beach hut

[tassisssss]

I adore the beach and would go for sure but our nearest is over an hour away and I can't face driving for more than an hour for a day trip.

[StellaNova]

Well, I went to Walton on the Naze by train today (3/4 hour) and while not being deserted it wasn't crowded even next to the pier, so I don't think every beach is heaving. It was nice.

On the other hand two hours by train is quite long, especially if the train is crowded (may well be) and sticky. Suppose it depends on how good yours are with trains.

Also, I don't know if this applies to Skegness (I mean whether the beach is entirely covrered by sea), but check tide times - we were caught out by high tide earlier than I thought it would happen.

[manicinsomniac]

Why not? I don't really get the problem to be honest.

I hate the beach. Well, the crowded, tourist type anyway. I suspect most adults do. But kids tend to love it and will have a great day.