Our little family went on cruise last week to the Eastern Caribbean and one of the ports was Saint Martin. In only knowing that Orient Bay was the most developed, most popular and most famous beach on the island, we had booked an excursion to see this beach months before even boarding our cruise liner. The morning we arrived at shore for our day on the island, Adam read over the ship’s printed itinerary that is given to each stateroom, each morning. All he said was “uh-oh” as I watched him scan the paper. It seemed that Orient Bay also had a nude section. Clearly not being European, we weren’t even thinking about nudity on the beaches. (Sorry, but you just don’t see that at the Jersey Shore. Ummmm, thank God.) I turned to the kids to try and explain that they might see some naked people out and about. I tried to sound light and airy about it so they didn’t make too much of a big deal about anything. And since the four of us walk around naked all the time, I was hoping they wouldn’t be fazed by seeing any public bouncy or hairy parts. Naturally, they both started giggling. Ok – so maybe that was my fault when I said “Girls, you might see some people walking around naked. So – don’t laugh or point or stare if you see boobies or a penis.” Jesus, I didn’t even give them a fighting chance to not laugh, I was practically smirking like a 10-year-old myself! We got to the beach and of course Ella and Vanessa wanted to go for a walk. Gee – I wonder why. These kids don’t like to walk from the couch to the kitchen table. Since they wouldn’t shut up about it, I appeased them (and I was a little curious myself). We took a short stroll and saw a few topless women. Their eyes were glued on them. I turned around to scan the area and saw Adam trailing behind us – eyes also glued to the women. Hey now - where was a naked man when I need one!?!
As I thought about the other lovely, normal families we met on the boat -- you know, parents who really knew where their kids were at all times, didn’t have them in bars after their actual bedtime and had no problem telling their children that they can’t get everything from the toy store or eat everything on the buffet -- I had to think we may have been the only American’s that knowingly took the kids to a nude beach. At the end of the day, it didn’t seem like any of us were scarred from our excursion. And when I really think about it, the kids seemed only slightly more interested in the nude view versus seeing hundreds of fish while snorkeling. I guess there is something to be said for being a little untraditional at home and walking around naked as often as we do. Ohhh – that might just be the excuse we need to binge drink, eat and spend – expose our kids to it all in excess so that they aren’t really intrigued by any of it later. I like the sound of that little test!
As I thought about the other lovely, normal families we met on the boat -- you know, parents who really knew where their kids were at all times, didn’t have them in bars after their actual bedtime and had no problem telling their children that they can’t get everything from the toy store or eat everything on the buffet -- I had to think we may have been the only American’s that knowingly took the kids to a nude beach. At the end of the day, it didn’t seem like any of us were scarred from our excursion. And when I really think about it, the kids seemed only slightly more interested in the nude view versus seeing hundreds of fish while snorkeling. I guess there is something to be said for being a little untraditional at home and walking around naked as often as we do. Ohhh – that might just be the excuse we need to binge drink, eat and spend – expose our kids to it all in excess so that they aren’t really intrigued by any of it later. I like the sound of that little test!