Get Away to Monterey

Sharks are real… and other road trip discoveries

By Brandy Tuzon Boyd
Photo © Monterey Bay Aquarium/Randy Wilder

In my life before children, carpools, homework and Girl Scouts, I worked a two-year stint in Monterey County. During that time, my husband (then boyfriend) and I would spend weekends visiting beaches, bookstores and seafood eateries.

Our children always enjoy time by the ocean, so when some friends went to Monterey recently, we decided to tag along.

One of our first stops was at a small beach near Fisherman’s Wharf where our daughter concentrated on collecting shells and our son climbed up and down the large, ocean-worn boulders. We reveled in the sheer joy they got out of sand between their toes and being together in such a perfect place.

The next day was spent at the Monterey Bay Aquarium—hours and hours of animal feedings, touch pools and movies about the ocean. Just like at the beach, our kids were drawn to different things. My daughter was drawn to the otters, my son to the sharks and octopi.

All they learned became apparent on our long drive home when our son said, “I didn’t know sharks were real.”

“Really?” I asked. “Even though you have a book about sharks and you’ve seen movies?”

“No, no. I just thought they were pretend,” and he rattled off the names of sharks he’d seen at the aquarium.

This was a teaching moment for us as parents. Before actually seeing sharks inside those gigantic tanks, our son thought these creatures were the stuff of myth and make-believe. Full-color books and TV documentaries on the species didn’t matter. He needed first-hand experience to truly understand.

Now, he’s fascinated with sharks, poring over his books every day, citing their names and facts to us like a little encyclopedia. Makes me realize just how big a task teaching our children truly is, and what a funny adventure it can be!

Brandy Tuzon Boyd is a local mom, freelance writer and blogger extraordinaire. This piece first appeared on our blog page at SacramentoParent.com.