JUST over two years ago I stood on a beach at the adults-only Sandals resort in Antigua rubbing my pregnancy bump and promising whoever was in there, that I would bring them back to the Caribbean. So with an almost two-year-old Archie in tow and sporting another bump, my partner Barry and I braved our first long-haul flight as parents to Beaches, the family-friendly resort and sister to Sandals.

Beaches Resort, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos, is where American families vacation. Americans who w ould grace an Abercrombie & Fitch catalogue; whose mothers jog along the beach at dawn, whose fathers trade on the stock exchange and w hose children are quiet and polite, w ho sip fruit juice, not guzzle cola.
The island of Providenciales (Provo to the locals) got its name from grateful shipwrecked sailors.

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A ny family would be happy to find themselves washed up on the white sandy shores of this British island in the West Indies with its 12-mile stretch of white sand and stunning, turquoise ocean where Beaches and other resorts are located.
Celebrity visitors to Provo have included the Beckhams, Paul McCartney, Lionel Richie and singer Prince.

The accommodation is dotted over three "villages". We chose a garden suite in the Caribbean Village, where the flora is less cultivated and the feel more relaxed, including a pool with swim-up bar and hot tub.

Our mornings started early as A rchie's body clock failed to adjust to Caribbean time. By 6am we were making sandcastles and dodging the w aves with only the fishing pelicans and jogging Yummy Mummies for company. After a quick shower we were first at Mario's Italian Restaurant for the buffet breakfast - a feast of fresh fruit, pastries and cooked fare.

Beaches has a tie-in with Sesame Street and although British children might not be familiar with the characters Archie proved that they still take them to heart. "Look, Mummy, a big lello bird!" and he was right: an 8ft Big Bird and his pals from the TV show were often spotted wandering around. We booked in for the Sesame Street character breakfast one morning where the Count, Grover and Burt and Ernie made an appearance.

For parents wishing for some time without their little darlings, Camp Sesame is a full-time crèche, with excellent staff. Events are laid on such as cooking with Cookie Monster and storytime with Elmo.

We joined a catamaran trip aboard the Kitty Kat to nearby Princess Alexandra National Park, to explore parts of the island not reachable by car, stopping off for snorkelling in the clear sea. Next stop was Iguana Island, where I was thrilled to see a lone iguana amid the scrub. After a few days in the resort it was time to explore Provo. We picked up a Kia 4x4 from Tropical Autos, a local firm run by the charming Josephine Connolly, a former Miss Turks and Caicos.
And of course, being a British island, everyone drives on the left.

We dropped into Grace Bay, the island's main tourist and shopping area. Here we found great boutiques, artists' studios and souvenir shops.
Heading east, we came across sumptuous private residences: million-dollar-plus villas with public pathways between them to hidden, deserted beaches.

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Queen Conch, a huge, edible sea snail, is a Caribbean staple and you can pretty much do anything with it - stew it, sauté it or eat it with salad and Island hot sauce. Provo is home to the world's only Conch (pronounced Conk) Farm, which the Sandals Foundation sponsors.

We pulled in to the Conch Shack on the beach but, being pregnant, I couldn't eat any so just watched as the chef expertly removed the flesh and blew us a long, low note from its shell. The island has a wide array of fabulous restaurants but with a sleepy child and 16 all-inclusive restaurants at the resort we mostly opted to dine at Beaches.
For evenings, our favourite haunt was the Barefoot By The Sea restaurant which has open sides and a sandy floor. Archie was often asleep by pudding time which meant we could linger a little longer.

On our final day I stood on the beach clutching Archie's hand, rubbing my pregnancy bump and promising again to return to the Caribbean.
After all, I wouldn't want to be accused of favouritism.

GETTING THERE:
Beaches (0800 597 0001/www.beachesresorts.co.uk) offers seven nights staying in a Turquoise Deluxe Room at Beaches Turks & Caicos from £1,769 per adult, £1,039 per child (all inclusive). Includes accommodation, return flights and transfers. Island Vibes Kitty Katt Cruise (www.islandroutestours.co.uk) costs £58 per adult, £31 per child. Tropical Auto Rental (www.tropicalautorentaltci.com); Turks and Caicos Islands Tourist Board: www.turksandcaicostourism.com