Beach Cleanup Day with Conner

Today was a teacher workday at Conner’s school but not at Hudson’s. When I asked Conner what special activity he would want to do with me this morning he wasn’t sure and asked me for some choices. I threw out the idea of a beach cleanup as it’s something I have always wanted to do with my kids once they were old enough. I used to do them all the time as a girl scout when I was around his age and thought they were so fun and meaningful. Before I could list any other ideas he got excited and said that a beach cleanup sounded great. We gathered garbage bags and kitchen gloves and headed to a local beach called Matheson Hammock. I felt like the beach was small enough and pretty well kept so we weren’t tackling too much more than the two of us could handle. I was wrong. We first cleaned around the mangroves that surround the bike trail and then by the water for over two hours and still couldn’t possibly get everything.

We talked about the sea animals that would benefit from this activity and we also talked about how awful it is that so many people are so careless. The beach is lined with garbage bins and yet we found everything from large water bottles, bottle caps, plastic straws, spray bottles, Styrofoam pieces, to dirty diapers right at the water’s edge! It was eye opening. We were both disgusted with the amount of trash there was and while Conner was determined to pick up every single piece before heading back home I decided to tell him the story about the boy on the beach who was picking up starfish and throwing them back into the water one by one. How there were thousands of starfish washed up on the shore and although he couldn’t possibly save them all he had peace of mind by knowing that he made a difference to those that he could get to. ️Stories like that one are so touching but teaching moments like today I know he will carry with him forever. Can’t wait to return with Hudson and roll up our sleeves some time soon. I know this sort of messy activity is right up his alley.