Mark, unless your 5 year old is different from every other child I have ever known, there is no way he will get bored.

It's been my experience that if you give a kid a bucket, a little shovel, a plastic truck and maybe a ball and a swim mask ... he will amuse himself all day long. Stir in some of the best beaches in the world and put him on a boat in paradise, well, you do the math.

If he actually does get bored, stick an ipad or notebook in his hands and head over to the bar. You won't have to worry about him moving anywhere anytime soon. Even at two, my great nephew couldn't take his eyes off his notepad (puzzle games) long enough to eat! Sigh.

We were at Tropical Fusion on Tortola's West End and (to my disgust) my niece had brought my great nephew's notepad with them. When the meal came, Julie (my niece) reached over and took the notebook away. Naturally, Miles started to kick up a fuss and started crying. He then slumped over with his head down on the table and let out a wailing noise that sounded much like life as he knew it had come to an abrupt end.

His covered his little toehead with his hands ... as though he were in agony. Everyone at the table started to giggle. Such melodrama from a 2 year old! When he realized we were all laughing at him, he looked up, tears streaming down his face, threw his hands (palms up) to each side of his shoulder, eyes wide with incredulity and declared, "I'm crying here!"

This of course was followed by gales of laughter from our table as well as the table beside us. When he realized he wasn't convincing anyone, he smiled very sweetly, shrugged his shoulders, reached across his mother and grabbed a french fry off her plate and proceeded to grin at all of us.

It's a strange new world for kids these days. You know your child better than anyone. Just be sure to bring his favourite toy, blanket or whatever it is that he just can't live without. Mother nature will provide the rest.

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