🏖️ The Beach Day That Was (But Barely)
Today was supposed to be a beach day.
You know — sunshine, fresh air, joyful splashing. The kind of outing that lives in your mind as a Pinterest-worthy memory and ends with sandy giggles and a tired-but-happy kiddo on the ride home.
But this is real life with Jimmy.
And in real life, getting to the beach was just the beginning.
Jimmy took one look at the beach, the sun, the whole situation — and dug in his heels.
He wouldn’t get out of the car. When I pulled him out, he tried to get back in.
And listen… I’m not new to this rodeo, but wrestling a determined 6-year-old into a stroller should count as my morning workout.
Through the sand — with all the grace of a mom dragging a wheeled sled through a sandbox — we made it to the water. Jimmy? Still in the stroller. Because movement was clearly optional today.
We sat. We watched. We talked (well… I talked). We pulled out our Little Wins beach cards.
Yes, the visuals came with us.
Yes, we read the social story.
But Jimmy wasn’t quite ready — not for new textures, not for unpredictable waves, and not without more context than I realized he needed.
After 45 minutes of coaxing, encouragement, and casually pretending the water was the most exciting thing I’ve ever seen in my life, Jimmy dipped in.
Not far.
Not for long.
But he did it.
And that’s a win.
Once the ice was broken, there was curiosity. He started exploring the shoreline — testing textures, squishing shells, keeping a safe but interested distance from anything too splashy.
And then? He went in. Not swimming, not frolicking, but full-body in the shallows.
Victory by inches. Joy by the spoonful.
Eventually, he decided the sand was the superior activity — and honestly, I couldn’t argue. He dug, he squished, he zoned in. His kind of beach day.
His pace.
His way.
Leaving the beach was surprisingly easy… except for dragging the stroller back through the sand and needing help up the stairs (shoutout to the kind stranger who saved my knees and my dignity).
We’ll try again. And again.
Because that’s the beauty of visual tools, gentle exposure, and meeting our kids where they are. It’s not about the perfect beach day. It’s about building the context to get there next time.
So we’ll keep using the cards.
We’ll keep telling the story.
And eventually, the story becomes his.
☀️ Little Wins Takeaway
It didn’t go how I imagined.
But Jimmy showed up, and so did I.
That’s what matters.
If you’ve ever had a “what was I thinking?” outing that turned into a slow, sandy success — you’re not alone. Keep showing up. Keep trying.
And maybe invest in a beach cart with monster wheels.
Want access to the same beach visuals and social story we used?
👉 Download the free “Off to the Beach” mini-pack here!
#LittleWinsWithJimmy #RealLifeParenting #BeachDayish #SensorySupport #ProgressNotPerfection
