Just because I’m fearless on the court doesn’t mean that I’m fearless in my everyday life. In fact, even something fun and seemingly harmless like a swimming pool can scare me. The truth is—I never learned to swim as a child. I may be able to score a career playoff high of 27 points for the Boston Celtics, but if you threw me into the ocean, I’d drown.
My dad is an officer in the U.S. Coast Guard, and although we’ve moved several times I can’t remember ever living more than 50 miles from the ocean. One would think that having a father in the Coast Guard and living so close to the water would mean that I have plenty of experience with the ocean, but in fact the opposite is true.
Camping season is in full gear and America’s parks and wilderness areas are filled with city dwellers trying to get some peace, quiet and fresh air. Here are a few tips on how to make your trip not just safe, but really fun.
One of my favorite things about being a dad is watching my kids play and discover the world around them; their imagination is entertaining and inspiring and my wife and I do not want to stifle it. So, when it comes to our parenting style, we try to create an environment where our kids can have as much fun as possible, explore, take chances and still be safe.
Water, summer and kids having fun are synonymous. That was true for me when I was young, whether it involved a swimming pool, the ocean or even a big scoop of water ice in my native Philadelphia.
My family has always been large, but in the last few years we’ve grown significantly as my generation has made the transition from being the kids to being the parents. This just makes our time together even more enjoyable especially when we head to one of our favorite places: the beach.