It will surely be the last beach to swim this year!

Writing my blog has been a nightly ritual for me, usually around midnight. But have you noticed how unexpectedly chilly it’s been at night recently? Just a few days ago, I was still using the air conditioner while writing, and now, I can’t even keep the windows open because it’s so cold! Well, it is October, so I guess that’s to be expected.

During the daytime, though, it’s still pretty hot. Knowing that it was going to be scorching, I made plans with the kids during our Friday family dinner the day before to take them to the beach with some friends. Unfortunately, Nicoyan couldn’t make it because he had prior commitments, but Mito-kun and Fionn joined me as we headed to our usual Nakahama Beach.

The water was crystal clear that day, and surprisingly, the pebbles on the beach that had been bothersome in recent years seemed to have disappeared or at least didn’t bother us this time. The weather was excellent, but perhaps because it was the end of September, we practically had the whole beach to ourselves! Beach to ourselves – yay!

Mito-kun, with his trusty gloves on, immediately started searching for creatures.

Fionn and I got really into catching these incredibly fast and elusive white crabs. We managed to catch about seven of them! At first, we weren’t quite sure of the knack, but as we observed their escape tactics and how they burrowed into the sand, it became a fun challenge. Experiencing this kind of problem-solving in nature, where you learn through trial and error, is truly invaluable!

I must say, despite still being a bit shaky with hiragana and katakana, Fionn has been picking up the ability to read and write them without us even realizing. His curiosity has extended to mathematics too. Whenever he asks questions and I explain concepts to him, he shows a genuine interest and quickly grasps and remembers things. So, in my opinion, the whole “early childhood education” thing might not be necessary.

Instead, exposing kids to nature, letting them experience various things, take them to new places, introduce them to different people, and encourage communication can be far more beneficial for their future. Unbeknownst to us, they absorb various wisdom and knowledge during these experiences!

During our beach adventure, we ran into a family with their adorable dogs who were visiting from Kansai. Fionn, without fail, always goes to introduce Taro and Gordy whenever he spots dogs. It’s just too cute.

On this day, we caught shrimp and fish, swam and played in the water, searched for shells and sea glass, and after changing into dry clothes, we began hunting for insects. We did so much, and it was a day full of various activities!

Our resident expert in all things related to living creatures, Mito-kun, came prepared with special containers for insects or spiders, I’m not sure which. He had already caught three spiders and two butterflies. He ended up releasing the butterflies at the end, but I think he might be planning to keep the spiders as pets?

Fionn, even if he isn’t particularly interested in certain subjects, is always eager to learn from Mito-kun. Every time they catch something, he listens to all the explanations about the creatures with great attention. So, his knowledge about insects and such has been steadily expanding.

Oh, speaking of Fionn, he recently won a raffle and got a “Stag Beetle” as a prize. Initially, he wanted to release it because he felt bad keeping it in a small container, but when he consulted Mito-kun, he was told that releasing non-native species could have negative consequences and that because it was born and raised in captivity in a small container, it might not survive in the wild. Understanding the explanation to the best of his ability, Fionn decided to let Mito-kun take care of it. These small interactions really make me think, “Oh, I see!”

Parenting is a continuous learning process, and it’s wonderful how much knowledge and inspiration you gain along the way. It’s fantastic!