I spent last week sitting on a beach reading Bossypants and an alternate version of Pride and Prejudice. Yes, you are feeling jealousy right now. If it helps I’m back to the real world and work.
While sitting on the beach reading 
I noticed an interesting beach phenomenon. While at a family oriented resort, I still found it interesting that men did the “men’s work” and women did the “women’s work”. Each morning my dad and brother took our umbrellas and beach tents down to the beach to set them up. As I made my way down the boardwalk I noticed that was the case with most families. The men erected the sun shelters, and the women came down later with the kids, chairs, toys, food and drinks and reading material.
I also saw a pattern in how parents played with their kids on the beach. Dad plays in the water, and seemed to spend more time with the older kids. Mom deals with kids too young to play in the water, the kids still in strollers, occasionally reapplying sunscreen to children in mid-play.
Why do we so easily divide up tasks along traditional gender roles while on vacation? What if Mom wants to play in the water and help the older kids with their boogie boards?
Share with us how your family divides their time while at the beach.
