Concerns for the future of the beach bums

Since the plastic shopping bag law was introduced in South Africa, we have been using a large canvas bag to go shopping. So it happened the other day that I got to pack the groceries in the bag while hubby was paying.

I felt something hard in the bag and when I opened it to look inside, I found - you guessed it... A pair of dirty old Ben 10 flip flops!

These were invented for a reason, right?

So the truth came out and my husband told me the truth (whether it is the entire truth and nothing but the truth I still need to establish, and I will).

See, I really try to be a good mom. Just yesterday I told my daughter to put on warmer clothes unless she wanted to catch pneumonia, because it was freezing cold outside (okay, somewhat of an exaggeration).  Her response?  "Oh, come on Mom! You don't get sick because it's cold. That's a MYTH! You don't even have a sweater on."  (How cheeky can a 9-year-old get?)


My kids just don't "get" the concept that they need to do as I say and not as I do. Of course Daddy Dearest will always take the brats' side and let them off the hook - for instance, when the three of them take a stroll to the shops and I insist on them wearing shoes against their will.

After putting on shoes and kissing me goodbye (and languishing in the showers of praise I give them for being such good kids to put on shoes, despite the fact that they don't think they need to) - the shoes are in the bag the moment they reach the gate outside the complex.



I guess the same rules don't apply when you live on the beach. The atmosphere is more relaxed and the dress code more casual. And as their dad says, "They are KIDS". I guess people don't find it so strange when a mother drags Ben 10 flip flops out of her shopping bag around here.

The Barefoot Beach Bums Out Shopping

I just hope that they will be able to wear shoes one day, when it becomes a necessary part of daily live.