Winnie the Pooh and his wide circle of diverse friends spent their days reminding us of the importance of living life to the fullest and not sweating the small stuff. They managed to make beautiful memories and embrace life’s simple pleasures by focusing on what matters…being fully present, staying optimistic, sticking together and always being up for a new adventure. As Pooh once quipped, “We didn’t realize we were having an adventure…we just knew we were having fun!”
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There is no better way to experience adventure on Nantucket than through the activities of a child…especially one who is trying things for the first time. Our 8-year old granddaughter Madison spent a week with us this month sans mom and dad, which was an adventure all by itself. Her schedule was filled with many of the island activities her dad had enjoyed as a kid. She took her first sailing lesson, hunted for horseshoe crabs on Coatue and fed the sea animals at the Maria Mitchell Aquarium.
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During the weekday mornings, Madison loved the day camp that’s part of the Kid’s Club at The Nantucket Hotel. They searched for shells on Brant Point, went turtling in Madaket and were shuttled around the island in the hotel’s antique fire truck where she got to ring the bell as they buzzed past our office. Like her dad and aunt before her, Nantucket’s day camps allowed her to experience places and opportunities on the island that we might never have exposed her to. In a short week she became a resident expert on many of Nantucket’s hidden secrets. She found new reasons to love the Grey Lady and reminded us why we fell in love with the island in the first place.
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It’s no surprise that the most special moments during her stay were not the scheduled ones, but the impromptu memories that were made without effort. Nightly marshmallow roasting around the fire pit while she and her Papa solved world problems. Playing with the family Barbie collection in the attic that’s now in its third generation. Sneaking to town for an ice cream cone. Planting a wildflower garden that she insisted be named after her and the annual “pit spitting contest” with fresh Bing cherries (don’t ask…it’s a family tradition!) These are the moments that can’t be replicated…the gift Nantucket gives us of precious time together. As Pooh’s friend Christopher Robin said in his last days, “Sometimes good things come to an end…but memories are forever.”
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What memories will you make with the kids in your life this summer? If Nantucket is in your plans or if you’re lucky enough to live here, be sure to explore the many opportunities at The Nantucket Hotel Kid’s Club…which also includes night time child care for members! Perhaps an afternoon at the Maria Mitchell Aquarium to feed the crabs and then a stop at The Juice Bar for a scoop of Green Monster with sprinkles in a waffle cone. Or maybe it’s as simple as a bag of marshmallows or Bing cherries and some uninterrupted time solving world problems.
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Make memories.