Trouble in Paradise.

See Vitali?
See Vitali jump in the waves?

See Vitali laughing and having a good time?
That is proof.

Next, you see what happens when he decides that he is a bit tired and overwhelmed and wants to test our resolve. Do mom and Dad still stand their ground in the sand? Leave it to Vitali to wonder....

No. We are not allowed to throw sand. We do mean it! Vitali loves to throw and whack stuff. All that sand was a HUGE temptation for him. Finally, we made him a time-out island. This inspired the other kids to make a patch of islands as well:

(Jane and Sarah, two of Angela's girls.)

Then it was, I don't like to go in the water. This was really more of a game of "make-everyone-feel sorry for Vitali" It worked pretty well but remember the "proof" above. :-)
Steve and I would hold him and quietly remind him that he was always safe with us. He cried anyway. Didn't want to have to depend on us. That was the real issue there, I believe.
(and, by the way, some of my pictures are blasted with light. I am blaming it on the fact that I had my polarizer on the lens. I don't know if that was it or not)

Throwing sand again! Vitali threw sand again so Steve filled two buckets with sand and sent Vitali to the water's edge to throw all that sand into the ocean. Turns out that wasn't as fun as whipping it at his friends.
He said things like, " I don't want to throw sand!" the whole time.

Vitali, not wanting to throw sand. Really, after this, he didn't anymore.
And, for the record, most of the time he was this happy little guy!