Monterey here we Come
Our first week as new Californian natives, we visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium with the kids. We wanted them to have fun. Moving across the country was a huge adjustment for all of us but especially the kids. We hoped they’d think California was fun and exciting rather than scary and different. I may be biased but we have some pretty amazing kids. They’ve adapted so well with all the changes we’ve thrown at them.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium was a lot of fun for them. We had goals to homeschool our girls when moving to California so we thought this might be a good opportunity to introduce them to the idea. We brought their sketchbooks and colored pencils so they could draw the things they observed at the Aquarium. The otter exhibit was fun for them. They spent time there drawing the sea creatures in the tank and really enjoyed it and took their time at each location without feeling rushed to move on.
We also loved the Open Ocean Exhibit full the jellies. It was beautiful and full of life. Who thought the kids could be so entertained by varieties of jellyfish. I especially loved the Open Ocean Tank where you could see schools of fish swimming, sea turtles, giant sunfish, among other sea life. It was a reminder that we truly are so small compared to the vastness of the world. My hope is that as my kids grow, they continue to have deep realizations about the role they play in the world. The world sometimes feels small with the advances in technology. Everyone has access to everything at the click of a button. Travel has become easier, communication has grown, and social media allows you to find just about anyone from anywhere. It’s nice to sometimes be reminded to slow down and realize that the world is a big place and the choices we make everyday effect the planet we live on.
Another great feature of the Monterey Bay Aquarium is their push towards conservation. The way the Aquarium was designed, it feel like it’s a part of the ocean. You walk out onto the deck and are right on the water. You can see wildlife right in front of you and if you’re lucky you can see the migrating whales from the deck. They have an exhibit of art made from ocean plastics included in the Aquarium. It brings an awareness of the dangers of plastic and the pollution crisis we currently have. To follow up on that, when we came home that night, we watched ‘A Plastic Ocean’ on Netflix. It was an eye opener to the ways plastics effect our lives and steps we can take to help limit our use. I’ll add some important links below.
Since then, we've talked to our kids about ways we could reduce our plastic consumption:
Use reusable water bottles and stop purchasing plastic water bottles all together.
Commit to using reusable grocery bags, shopping bags, and food storage bags (California is already ahead of the game in this arena)
Stop using plastic straws and invest in reusable glass ones.