A beach in the Bronx by the bus

When I asked people if they've been to Orchard Beach in the Bronx, they told me the place is trashy. They said the beach is crowded, dirty, and loud. "It's not a real beach," some people said, and other people said, "Ew." After they told me what they thought of the place, most people said, "I've never been there."

We went to Orchard Beach last week.

What I liked about the beach was that it was quiet, clean, and almost empty.

One of Charlotte Mason's pieces of advice that has stuck with me over the years is to let children (or anyone of any age) make their own discoveries and connections. While it's valuable to seek information and opinions from others, it's really up to each of us on our own to figure out the world.

My husband and kids hung out in the sand and water, and I took a long walk along the shore. Nobody told me about the nude section of the beach. I discovered it on my own.

I kept my swim suit and sunglasses on.

After my walk, it started to rain and we headed home with plans to go to Orchard Beach again this week.