Babies on Board

[Hal]

WOW! First of all if you spend enough time at sea it is just bound to happen. You guys have more guts than I do and I'll bet you are alot younger too. As for raising kids, I raised two girls from pre-school to adults on my own and it was tough. The first thing they learned to do was swim. Then we went out on the lake and turtled the boat and learned how to survive with a PFD. I found that the easiest way to keep them entertained was to tie them to the diaper line and cast them overboard. When I hauled them in they were happy to just sit quietlly ( just kidding, really). Board games are nice, like "Walk the Plank". Hanging on the bowsprit is alot of fun when the dolphins are riding the bow wave. You just slide it under their shirt...... Now I have a chance to really spoil the grandkids (see, the kids did survive Dad). Oh looking for pirates while hanging from the mast head is lots of fun also.

See, there are lots of things to keep kids busy on a crusier. Just don't let them watch "Mutiny on the Bounty".

Cheers,

Hal

[Red Charlotte]

Wow. We may be starting a family soon and this thread had some really helpful information. I'm sure I'll be re-reading this for quite a while!

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by 2divers

... I can tell you that so far the best thing we've found was a diaper genie* here in the US to keep the smell to zero...

Seems kind of big, to me, for use aboard.
* Sold under the name "Sangenic" in Europe:
Sangenic - Home Page

[Hudson Force]

Babies, Toddlers, Children......thrive aboard! Our two children were with us from infancy until they left for college.

Our son and daughter swimming about the boat...

Our son on the beach..
They enjoyed a lot of "paradise" and now our grandson cruises with us! 'take care and joy, Aythya crew

[denniswbaber]

As a father of 3 (Zen 5, Nirvana 3, and Baby Bliss 1) I am eager to transition our lives from land to sea. However, my wife has raised many interesting questions; one being, the lack of social interaction with other children and the developmental aspects that ensue. Has anyone had first hand experience with this issue? Either as a parent or a child raised to adult hood on a boat? I personally, think it’ll be one of the most memorable, and stimulating experience our children could live!!! Thanks for the input!!!

[Elandria]

Originally Posted by denniswbaber

one being, the lack of social interaction with other children and the developmental aspects that ensue. Has anyone had first hand experience with this issue? Either as a parent or a child raised to adult hood on a boat? I personally, think it’ll be one of the most memorable, and stimulating experience our children could live!!! Thanks for the input!!!

The Dashew's authors of several cruising encyclopedias had 2 daughters. The younger one loved cruising and elder felt it caused her problems later with being able to socialize. You could google them for more on that.

I think it depends on the child.

Every child is unique and you just have to adjust for its individual needs. We cruised when I was younger & I loved it. So did my younger brother.

My only issue was I found it difficult to get back into school - year one, age 6 - when we returned because I was so far ahead. Everything was easy & I got bored. Correspondence was great but very different to being in a class of 30.

It took about 4 years for me to feel challenged by my school work. By then I was used to being lazy and it took a while to get used to learning again. I turned out fine though. Went to a selective High, completed a Bachelor's at Uni & now I'm sailing.

Any negative social impact from raising kids at sea is minimal. Have more than 1 child (built in friend, especially when close in age) & actively seek boats or locals ashore with other children. Children are great icebreakers & you’ll make friends (as will they) far and wide.

[quartersplash]

We have a 3 year old aboard and another on the way, and we also dragged the diapers and after we removed them from the salt water, just wringed them out dipped them in fresh for a second and wringed them out again and they were just fine and beleive it or not were as fresh smelling as if they came out of a washer.
We also bought netting from On deck sports. They were fantastic. The netting is by far better than what is sold at the boating stores. When they shipped it to me it got lost in transit, I called and they sent a new one right out to me no charge, then that one got delivered to the wrong address by the shipper..... I called them again and they sent another out with thier own employee to my door! What service and a great product. How often does that happen any more?

[Tamlin]

We cruised for a year with our then 3 month old and 2yr old. We cruised the islands off of Venezuela most of which are uninhabited. Safety, diapers and all the things we worried about were hardly an issue but the 24 by 7 child care was hard work - no mommy and me groups, no meals out and lots of hands on entertaining required.
It was a complete blast and I wouldn't give back a minute of it but in retrospect we might have done better to stick to the inhabited island chain...
Also for the record the kids did really well thanks to the full time input from both parents so for older kids I'm sure home schooling is the way to go.
We are planning on cruising with them again in a few years when they are old enough to help out with the watches and cooking...

[barnakiel]

Have seen plenty of boats with loads of kids aboard. All ages. Why not?

And on a cat it will be way easier than on any other boat. Just remember to fence all around with tight netting.

Good luck,
b.

[maxcpt]

We have just moved aboard a 38' Cat. It has four cabins so one cabin each (2 yr old, 5 yr old and parents) Since moving aboard, none of us has slept in their own cabin. There has been a lot of "cabin hopping". Although the girls each have their own spaces they prefer to sleep together or with one of us. We are both still working and the girls are not home schooled yet, so if it means bunking in together for a good nights sleep - its worth it!!

[S&S]

We have 6: 10,8,6,4,2 and 9mo. Our standard protocol is crawlers in a carseat ( we have padeyes in the cockpit for this)while underway. No one is off the teather until they are 4 or so (have sure footing) or they have to stay in the cockpit or below. They learn pretty quick to hang on to something. Our trips are usually under two weeks so we don't have the socialization questions that long-term cruisers may have. One adult is tasked with keeping an eye on the kids while one drives.