Being new parents, or newbies, is not a bad or good thing, it is a condition that is acquired when you are a father or mother for the first time and that is left behind with the passage of time. Most first-time parents do similar things, always motivated by ignorance, worry and inexperience and, following these common things, can be easily detected on the beach.
Most likely, do not worry too much that someone can see you as first-time parents (better), if so, you can read this guide as a series of recommendations or advice What can you follow or not. If instead you are of those who are clear that, in Spain, most phrases that are said in summer and on the beach start with a "Look at those ...", "Look at those ..." or "Look at that ..." and you don't want to be the center of anyone's eyes, maybe you want to read this practical guide to try to go unnoticed on the beach as first-time parents. It's hard to get it, because a ninja isn't done in two days, but let's try: nothing is impossible.
Leave the stroller at home
The first tip is one of the clearest: the stroller is like the flag that says “Here we are, we are first timers”. The worst, in addition, is not the stroller itself, but the flag is preceded by a footprint in the sand so clear that they will see you right away. One arrives at the entrance of the beach and from there several stroller tracks take you to their owners, novice parents who feel more secure with their operations center (stroller) next door.
It gets along the sand and you have to pull it to the shore, it is filled with sand and then it is not funny to see sand in the gears and together, the child can literally cook if you intend to sleep inside (if it is carrycot or maxi type cosi can almost forget the sea breeze) and most of the things you have put in do not need them, so no stroller needed, try to live without him.
Lighten luggage
The more things you take to the beach, the more you will sing. You have to think about what is essential to go to the beach and what is not. The problem is that at first everything seems important because it is difficult to predict what you will need.
Once removed the stroller you can't carry so many things on top, so forget the travel cot (I attest that there are those who take it), forget the little store so that the baby is inside (until the age of 35 he will not leave home, so it is not worth making him believe that you can enjoy your own house), forget the various beach toys, which is still small to do anything with the sand other than picking it up and bringing it to your mouth and forgetting to carry several changes.
Is enough with a towel for the sand, an umbrella, cream (can also be left over) and some diaper and wipes. If you carry things to do something that you could do well then you will be one of those "look at those".
Now, by boat soon, I remember some who, in addition to a stroller, little store for the baby, beach bucket, shovel, watering can and rake and baby who only knew how to sit (many castles were not going to build) they took the mucus vacuum, that in which you aspire for a tip so that the mucus is in the small deposit that is applied to the nose. After bathing it, as if it were of utmost urgency, they spent a few minutes sipping and sipping.
The constant "encremado" of the baby
As I said above, the cream can even be left over. If you have a baby of less than six months, it is best not to use creams, because they are very small. However, one who already has three children and does not have time to have so many views (I) does not pay much attention and puts his baby one of those infantile creams that, to date, has not caused any irritation (if in doubt , look for those with a physical factor, which have less chemical).
The fact is that, if you are going to be only a little while on the beach and under the umbrella, you can pass without cream to the baby perfectly. If instead you are going to take it out of the shade to bathe it a little and go around the area, you can put on cream before going to the beach (you know, half an hour before arriving) and ready. With that you have for a couple of hours quietly. If you are not going to be longer, you do not need to put more cream. If you are going to be longer, then you put back a little and that's it.
Put on cream your son several times while you are there will be too much and it will show others that you are so worried that you take extra precautions, that is, they will catch you. They will know that you are first-time parents because you will be acting like them.
You are not required to bathe
When you were a couple you both bathed together and it was fun, even sensual when you went there where the children no longer arrive, but now you can't bathe both at the same time, so you have to take turns. I say in turns because it seems that going to the beach and not taking a bath is like going to the movies and going halfway through the movie. However it is not so, you are not required to bathe and so you will not have to show the world your new way of managing the bathroom.
The usual thing for first-time parents is to first bathe one, go out, dry, take the child and then the other one bathes. If it is hot and the bathroom is due to rapid cooling, no problem. You get in the water, cool down a bit and go out. The problem and the major song appears when you get into the water hoping to enjoy the bath like when you were accompanied. You get to the water and you do not know what to do.
You can not talk to anyone (and if you talk to someone you may seem weird, weird), if you enter with a little ball to see who you throw it, forget about the shovel (it is absurd to carry shovels and they are also excess luggage), you think of Putting on a swim, but you don't see it too much, so all you do is stay soaking, looking at the rest of your family and waving, as if you were having a pipe. When you realize that it is ridiculous to continue in the water you leave happy because you have complied and dry yourself inviting your partner to bathe too (so that you can enjoy more than not being able to take a bath alone).
I say, it is not necessary if you do not feel like it, you finished bathing for fun, at most a refreshing soak and out, That they don't see you lost in the water without knowing what to do, because the clueless face leaves no room for doubt: first-time, first-time (it is said twice to highlight).
Some photos yes, hundreds not
"Look honey, take a picture that has some sand in your hand," "Run, take the camera I'm going to put a foot in the water," "Have you caught smiling with the new cap?", And so until the camera battery runs out.
Remember that you want to go unnoticed, so the ideal is to make a few representative photos of the moment. It is not necessary to photograph every grimace or every grain of sand that will end up in the skin of your little one, because if you do it like this they will catch you fixed.
Everyone knows that with the first child everything, absolutely everything is photographed, as if there were no tomorrow, as if they were going to steal the child and the time to photograph him was running out or as if we were not able to remember anything and everything was important and that with the children that come later the camera is used much less (and you use it when you remember to charge the battery, which is less often than necessary).
In summary, many photos: “These are first timers”. Few photos: "The baby is small and I do not see siblings, but they do not seem first-time ... we will continue observing, because I have a magnificent advice to give today and from here I do not go until I release it."
In a while we continue
I know I leave the guide halfway, but I don't want you to receive too much information at once, so I decided to leave a few hours so you can digest these words, before continuing. Stay tuned, because this afternoon we finished the guide with more tips (here you can read the second part). See you later, my parents ninja, masters of camouflage.
Photos | kylewest, jerrroen on Flickr
In Babies and more | We go to the beach! Ummm ... are we going to the beach with a baby ?, At what age is it convenient to start taking a child to the beach ?, To the beach with a baby ... I will survive
