One of my dear mama friends (she has two littles: a four-month old and a 2-year old) taught me early on how to survive living in Los Angeles. You bring your kids to the beach, and you start going at an early age. And oh my, yes I couldn’t agree with her more. The weather in the city is pretty consistent — mostly blue skies, breezy sunshine and 75 degrees.
But it’s also a super crowded, bustling, traffic-crazy city.
Except when you’re at the beach during the week ;) We notice mostly tourists here during the weekday (hooray for us, we’re the oddballs!), so it kinda feels like we’re on vacation. Except we live here year-round.
When we go to the beach, we go for the entire day, like 10:30am until 4pm. Our kiddos play together and they play independently. We take multiple trips down to the water to splash around. We spy dolphins swimming near the shore. We brush off sand. Again. We keep our littles hydrated and full of energizing foods. We chase them around our umbrellas and beach quilts and trip over buckets.
And then the most miraculous thing happens: all the littles take an afternoon nap. At the same time. And for at least an hour are able to catch up without getting up, but funny how fast that hour goes by :)
It’s not so hard taking your kids to the beach. Maxwell went a few times last year and maybe a dozen times already this year? We continue to go and so it continues to get easier and easier. Going to the beach is one of my best tips for surviving mamahood in Los Angeles.
Also! Once we’re home and the sunscreen’s been washed off, it’s not long before everyone is in bed for a good night’s rest.
Here’s one of my favorite photos with Maxwell from our trip to the beach yesterday. It makes me so happy that I wanted to share with you it’s full-size frame:
I’ve only and always been a mama since we moved to Los Angeles. I’m sure it’s different for moms all over the country, but knowing “how to survive” seems to be something we can all do differently while still feeling so very connected to one another. I’d love to read your tips on surviving mamahood in your city. See you in the comments? xo
Maggie – I love this! I think it’s so great for women (where ever they’re living) to figure out how to best use their time and resources in the mama hood journey! I especially like your post because I know it’ll resonate with so many mama’s with littles in similar places to you guys. Here in Northern MI, it’s having a million indoor winter activities to do. Pinterest has nearly saved. my. life. on several occasions! Then, when we get a reprieve of warm weather – it’s outside as much as possible for everyone! :)
Oh, you got that right! I should start a board for winter activities, I know it’ll come in handy one of these years :)
yep. this is all too true. we head to the beach allll the time. my littlest naps there and my oldest just tosses sand on to our blanket. we don’t spend all day there like you to (you go! i’m impressed!), but we live just a couple blocks away so it’s easy to come home for nap time. ps we’re in redondo beach :)
Thank goodness I have a beach chair that I lug with me every single timeeeeee we go, it saves me from sitting on a sandy blanket because YES OH MY GOODNESS, the sand. Why keep it on the beach when it can also join us on the blanket? ;D
Funny, in Seattle you have to learn how to survive rain and gray. There are lots of nice days, but it is easy to figure out what to do then. But you need to learn where the fun indoor playplaces are when it is raining for the 5th day in a row, or better yet, teach your kids going to the zoo in the rain is fun because it’s less crowded!
I’d love to know some of your favorite rainy day activities? Do share with me… ;)
My husband and I were just talking about taking another trip to LA! We love it so much! I think a beach is a perfect place for kids of all ages because they can just be free! Really the only containment they need is us making sure they don’t get sucked it by the waves! ๐
The beach is also my go-to spot when the kids and I are needing a change. We live on the west coast of Canada – so it isn’t so balmy as it is there – but still, no matter what mood the kids are in – as soon as we step foot on the beach, they are entertained for hours. The sound of the water is so calming and they always find critters to look at, trenches to dig, etc… and I love that time seems to slow down for me when we’re there. My youngest (2.5) hated the sand the last two years, but seems to be better with it this year so that’s awesome. Here’s to a summer full of beach!
Oh and PS – hand-in-hand with this is sunshirts/sunsuits so I don’t have to be slathering them (and me) with sunscreen all day.
Yes! Love it… and the aerosol sunscreen can for me! :)
Your post has come just in time for me! Me and my husband are potentially moving out to the LA area in a month with our two kids(ages 3&2), and my biggest concern was what to do with the kids every day. It’s a big move, since we will be coming from Mississippi, and it’s going to be such a new experience. Though, with being from Mississippi, we do the beach very well and often! So it will be a perfect place to go, especially during the transition. Thanks for sharing!
Your beaches look amazing! I definitely want to bring my daughter to the beach this summer, but having to take public transit makes it seem like daunting task, BUT I want to do it! It’s really not that far, but long transit trips mess with my zen, so to speak. I really have to hand it to you for handling such a crowded city as LA so well.
My city is part of the Lower Mainland in BC and right on the Fraser River. The river is pretty industrial, but there’s a new park that’s pretty awesome. Sometimes we go the other way and to another park that has a spray park and petting farm. But, honestly, it doesn’t matter what we do with our day because I’d much rather spend it with her than at work. A couple of months ago my husband got a full time job so now I’m able to spend most of my time taking care of her. Aren’t we just so blessed to be able to raise our little ones ourselves rather than send them off to daycare everyday?
Oh you are just darling! And how fun that your kids will get to grow up going to the beach . . . just to “survive”! :)
Mine aren’t little anymore, but in Chicago, one of the best ways to survive is to take advantage of the free museum days. We spent a lot of time looking at dinosaur bones and mummies when my girls were little.
Sending a hug to you!
I grew up on Long Island…during the summer we would drop my dad off at the train station and head to the beach. We would come home, take a bath, my mom would paint our nails, and we would sleep! Beach days make for the best memories! Now I’m living in Vegas (Henderson) with two little girls of my own. No beach here:( but we go back to NY for a few weeks every summer and get in as much beach time as possible! But it’s hot here…we swim, go to Bass Pro Shops…they love that store!, craft, library days…
Beach tip if you don’t already know…bring baby powder…takes the sand right off when it’s time to pack up!
I loved the part about your mom painting your nails… that’s a memory I’d keep, too :) And yes, baby powder for the win! Yeow!
you’ve got the right idea for sure! if i lived near the beach i’d be there everyday!!
We love going to the beach on weekdays. We can always find a spot in the short term parking! ;) With two in tow now I look a little like a pack mule getting all of our gear out there but it’s always worth it.
Oh yes, alwaaaaaaays :) it’s like a reset for mama’s sanity, the kiddos can burn off their energy, and everyone gets to watch the waves roll in. So relaxing!