My kids can't seem to do any one thing for more than about 30 minutes at a time, but it looks like this trip I've discovered what can hold their attention longer than any computer or video game can: sand and sea is key. We packed up a lunch of sandwiches, chips, cookies, and water (yes, only water for the kids and nobody complained? Miracle), headed out to the beach, and spent 4 1/2 hours in exactly one spot with everyone perfectly content with life, kids included. The only thing I had to do (besides sit my ass in a recliner and soak up the sun and the refreshing Nantucket breeze) was get up every hour to slap some more sunscreen on the kids. If I had known it was this easy to keep them perfectly happy, I would have insisted on moving nearer to the beach a lifetime ago. Amazing.

Everything feels better at the ocean. The plain old sandwiches taste like gourmet Iron Chef creations on fresh baguettes from Paris, the breaking of the waves sounds like a full symphony orchestra, and all the screaming from my kids playing in the sand is absolute music to my ears. Who needs therapy to work out the kinks of life when you've got miles and miles of perfect beach that does the trick instead?