If you want to get in some healthy exercise, reduce your stress, and improve your mood, then maybe you need a beach vacation. Have you thought about Maine?

Some of the most beautiful beaches in the world are in this New England state, famous for its lobster, whoopee pies and a certain horror fiction author. While there are a seemingly infinite number of beaches on Maine’s 228-mile coastline, here are 5 of the best:

Looking for a fun seaside resort feel? Old Orchard Beach is home to New England’s only beachfront amusement park: Palace Playland Park. Located in York County, this is a family-friendly spot that features a boardwalk with lots of food and shopping nearby.

Kennebunk Beach has three distinctly different sections, with each having its own flavor. Gooch’s Beach is the largest and most popular, with its soft and sandy shore. Mother’s Beach has rocky outcroppings and a playground. Middle Beach is the rockiest and very scenic. 

Hospitable Popham Beach, in Phippsburg, has bathhouses, showers, and a picnic area, so you may never want to leave. Sandbars and tidal pools at low tide make for wonderful exploration.

On Prouts Neck Point, Ferry Beach has a western exposure which makes for great sunsets. This beach is on the Scarborough River and features calmer waves.

Birch Point Beach is located on a little peninsula in Owls Head. It’s not easy to find which means you may have the place to yourself. If you get bored with beachcombing, explore nearby Rockland for its lighthouse museum or drop in at the Project Puffin Visitor Center.

Whether you decide to catch a wave or simply sit in the sand, a Maine beach vacation may be just what you need.

Summer is the time for pool parties and trips to the beach—lots of fun in the sun. But that fun can quickly turn to tragedy if something happens to your child. Not knowing the signs of drowning could cost your little one its life.

Television has taught us how “easy” it is to tell when someone’s drowning. The victim waves their arms wildly, inevitably screaming “Help! I’m drowning!” It would be great if it worked that way, but in real life it is very different. 

Read these myths about drowning and the signs that someone is actually in trouble in the water:

MYTH: “I would hear if my child were drowning.” 
FACT: When the body is just focused on trying to get the mouth above water so it can breathe, it isn’t able to yell for help. If your normally chatty kid is quiet, find out why.

MYTH: “They’ll wave their arms and thrash around. I’ll see it.”
FACT: A drowning person is only focused on trying to breathe. Their arms are usually pinned to their sides and they are not struggling. 

MYTH: “Nothing will happen in the few seconds I’m inside.”
FACT: Drowning is quick. 20 seconds is all it can take for a child to drown. Children should be consistently supervised around water. Never assume that “we’re all watching the kids” because that means no one is actually watching for signs of drowning. 

MYTH: “My kid is a teenager. He knows how to swim.”
FACT: 47% of children ages 10-17 who drowned in pools were able to swim. Even someone who is a good swimmer may panic if it’s been awhile since they swam or are in unfamiliar territory, like the ocean instead of a pool.

Keeping kids safe in and around water is a big responsibility, but being aware of the dangers and being prepared can be the difference between life and death. Know the risks and have a safe summer.

According to the Center for Disease Control, more children in the United States between the ages of 1-4 die from drowning than any other cause of death, except birth defects. 

When all we want to do is keep our babies safe, statistics like that definitely make us want to seek higher ground. But as responsible parents or caregivers, it’s important for us to be proactive. That’s where swim lessons come in. What’s the best age for our little ones to start learning to swim? According to many experts: RIGHT NOW.

Have you ever blown a little puff of air into an infant’s face? Instinctively the baby will hold its breath. That is an example of the mammalian diving reflex, a protective response to avoid drowning. When babies under 1 year take swimming lessons, they are taught to roll onto their back to float, rest and breathe until help arrives. Watch the videos on this infant swimming resource website to see this in action!

Teaching children early in their lives to have a healthy respect for the water is important, and ongoing lessons during childhood can help them gain confidence and independence. But it’s still important to have adults around in case of emergencies. Many drowning incidents for children under the age of 6 take place in bathtubs, toilets and even buckets. 

We take on many jobs as adults, but one of the most satisfying is raising children who grow up with the skills and information they need to make it on their own. If your youngsters aren’t already enrolled in swim classes, invest in their future, and sign them up.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” 

These words from our Declaration of Independence are without doubt some of the most famous ever written. Not only that, they are some of the most truly beautiful in the English language.

When July 4^th rolls around each year in the United States, we often find ourselves celebrating in the same old ways—perhaps with grilling hotdogs and watching fireworks. While there’s nothing wrong with that, this year try adding a new family tradition to the mix, something that commemorates the holiday with a little more thought to patriotism or history. Here are a few ideas:

Fly a flag. It doesn’t have to be a regulation flag flying in your yard! Invite the family to make a chalk-drawn flag in the driveway. Decorate t-shirts with fabric paints. Create a dessert that looks flag-like.

Celebrate your unalienable right to move your body. Add more fun to a backyard barbecue with horseshoes, badminton, or even dancing. Or try heading to the beach or a park for some exercise. 

Use your right to free speech. Write a poem about what freedom means to you. Create a new song about America and record it. Express yourself! 

Independence Day is part of every American’s heritage. Celebrate in a way that’s special to you and your family—that's one of your privileges, too!

It’s about time for those annual cries from the kids: “I’m bored! There’s nothing to do!” Yes, as soon as school is out and the kids’ days are no longer full of structured activities, the boredom sets in. Did you know that boredom is actually good for kids? It helps stimulate their imagination and creativity. Of course, that knowledge does very little to help a busy adult when the children are complaining. 

Here are some ideas to help fight the boredom bug:

• Plan themed days. Cartoon Day, for example, could be all about cartoons. Watching them or drawing them. Pancakes in the shape of cartoon characters. Wearing cartoon-themed clothing.
• Have a talent show. Depending on the children’s ages, planning and rehearsing could take a few hours or a week or more. 
• Make a movie. Here again, this is a project that could potentially last the whole summer. But even a small child can create a video—maybe one for every day this summer. 
• Challenge them to learn new things. There are videos on many subjects and often there are classes for children at local museums or parks and rec centers.
• Build and run an obstacle course in the backyard. It’s exercise for all ages!
• Teach the kids a skill from your childhood. Remember jacks? Pick up sticks? If those are skills before YOUR time, you can learn together!

Your suggestions should guide the kids. Don’t try to do everything for them. Ensure that they are staying safe, and you’ll all have a summer full of fun memories.

Sunday is Father’s Day, and when it comes to shopping for Dad, one thing is clear: all fathers are not the same. Not every dad wears a tie, yet sometimes that’s the only gift stores seem to recommend for Dad’s big day. So how can we find the perfect present?

What does your father like to do? Most dads have some sort of hobby or interest, and that’s a great place to start. If your dad is into sports, be it bowling or darts, there’s inevitably a sports channel that features shows about it. Does your dad subscribe to it? The same thing applies with other interests like opera, poker, automobiles or cooking. See if there are channels or courses you could purchase for Dad. 

What does Dad NOT like to do? Look at Dad’s chore list and see if there’s something you could make more enjoyable. Cleaning the floors can be done by robot vacuum cleaners now, and there are some very affordable choices out there. Power washers can accomplish many outdoor jobs, such as washing the car. Even washing the dishes can be fun with the right gadgets.

What about the gift of YOUR time? Sometimes all your dad really wants is to spend time with you. Help your father with a chore while you have a playlist from “back in his day” blasting in the background. Drag out the photo albums and ask Dad about his memories after dinner. 

Finding the perfect gift is really the result of a little thoughtfulness. Doesn’t Dad deserve that?