Moving to a Life Aboard

[bobconnie]

Water babe, We raised our 4 kids aboard, 2 born aboard 2 before, all did school by mail in thoses days. Much better to day with internet and such ! 1 girl is an RN like Connie, the other 2 girls have there own bizz.and our son delivers boats thruout the Pacific area Currently home based in Thailand. They vote and have bank accounts and all the normal stuff ! so you don't ruin kids by raiseing them on a boat! As long as you have a family that is a REAL Family! Just my 2 cents ( and braggin a little LOL)

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by water babe

................. I think we've settled on the Fisher 37'. My husband is very fond of it and I think it's beautiful.

I've also been very fond of the Fisher's. So, I think all the 37s are ketch rigs with a pilothouse, - right?

[David_Old_Jersey]

I too have always liked the look of the Fishers.

IIRC Fisher offered all their models with either a Sloop or Ketch rig - apparently the 37 a bit more of a sailing boat than some of the other models.

[AiniA]

I think kids onboard work better when they are younger (subteen). In our travels basically all the kids we have seen have been under 10 (note that is for long distance cruising not living onboard in one or a few locations). Also home schooling is easier for younger ones. By the later stages of home schooling it can be a challenge to have the expertise needed to handle calculus and physics on one hand and English literature and a second language on the other (I am also a retired high school teacher, they seem to have come out of the woodwork for this topic. I also have a higher opinion of public schools than has been voiced.)

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by AiniA

I think kids onboard work better when they are younger (subteen). In our travels basically all the kids we have seen have been under 10 (note that is for long distance cruising not living onboard in one or a few locations). Also home schooling is easier for younger ones. By the later stages of home schooling it can be a challenge to have the expertise needed to handle calculus and physics on one hand and English literature and a second language on the other (I am also a retired high school teacher, they seem to have come out of the woodwork for this topic. I also have a higher opinion of public schools than has been voiced.)

The families we have known who homeschooled through high school networked and pooled their resources. For instance, my husband had a Ph.D. in chemistry and could have easily taught chemistry, physics and advanced math not only to our children but to other people's children. I was a music major and could have provided things iike music theory that students who wanted to go on with music studies in college would need. Home schooling doesn't always mean your children are only taught by you.

Those courses are also available online, and once again, parents in a network of homeschoolers can supplement and enrich that. I think about both physics and biology, and what could be better than being on a sailboat for those subjects? With Skype you can even have performing groups for plays, bands, orchestras, choruses -- I sing in an online chorus myself (I also sing on one on land since I live in a marina).

The big problem for kids and homeschooling on a boat is that they *need* friends. That makes a good case for combining teaching skills, but they need to be physically together with friends. So while I have no experience homeschooling from a boat, I am thinking that having a home base where other homeschooling, boating families gather, and taking shorter trips (even buddy-boating on these trips) might be a solution.

I think it's outstanding to homeschool -- as long as you don't deny essential characteristics of children. I think of when my husband died. We were out of town, and it was AWFUL for my daughters, who were 14 and 16. When we finally got back to town, their friends -- and just acquaintances -- swarmed around them, desperate to be with them and help them during that awful time. At his memorial service out of town there was no one there for them. At the memorial service where we lived, they were each surrounded by at least 40 kids, all of whom took off from school (with the school's blessing) to be there for them. It still makes me tear up to think about it.

I know those kids can also lead them astray and get them into real trouble -- but they need each other down to their very cores.

[water babe]

Originally Posted by bobconnie

Water babe, We raised our 4 kids aboard, 2 born aboard 2 before, all did school by mail in thoses days. Much better to day with internet and such ! 1 girl is an RN like Connie, the other 2 girls have there own bizz.and our son delivers boats thruout the Pacific area Currently home based in Thailand. They vote and have bank accounts and all the normal stuff ! so you don't ruin kids by raiseing them on a boat! As long as you have a family that is a REAL Family! Just my 2 cents ( and braggin a little LOL)

I do worry so much about breaking them. On land to hear terrible stories about homeschooling. As far as I can tell they're better than everybody else's kids It seems where we live the schools are filled with little terrorists and rapists. I look at the rest of the kids in public school and I cringe.... I think by living aboard we will be giving them the best of everything, the best life possible, freedom really...

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by water babe

... As far as I can tell they're better than everybody else's kids It seems where we live the schools are filled with little terrorists and rapists. I look at the rest of the kids in public school and I cringe.... I think by living aboard we will be giving them the best of everything, the best life possible, freedom really...

This has been my experience as teacher and parent. As sailor, I've met a dozen or so boat-schooled kids. All were well ahead of the curve. Particularly in social skills.

[Conwaysailors]

Congratulations! It will be an adventure for your whole family. I suggest reading blogs written by other families who are out there living on boats with children. We live on a Beneteau 473 with three children (11, 9, and 6) and I can't imagine living on anything smaller, but MANY people do and are very happy. There are blogs and websites out there that cover everything from being pregnant on a boat to boatschooling to safety. Ours is conwaysailors.com, but there are many out there that helped me when we were planning to move aboard. There are also a number of books in print, including All In The Same Boat by Tom Neale, which is full of practical advice.

[Crimea Cruiser]

Originally Posted by water babe

.. what stuff do you consider important what are valued items? besides the lap top. any certain dishes, life vests... EVERYTHING just throw it all at me. better to have a hundred posts to read trough than to miss something important I have a feeling i'm going to be on here a lot
thanks everyone

First thing that jumped out as me reading your post, probably because of being traditional and old fashioned in my ways...a laptop is not needed! It is just a desired item of today's society. I learned much more from nature than I ever did from a laptop, especially as I had none growing up. Certainly a laptop has it's value on today's vessel, but it is not a necessity.
My priorities would be focusing on safety and contingency training for entire family. Then worry about the extras. Just my two cents.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Crimea Cruiser

First thing that jumped out as me reading your post, probably because of being traditional and old fashioned in my ways...a laptop is not needed! It is just a desired item of today's society. I learned much more from nature than I ever did from a laptop, especially as I had none growing up. Certainly a laptop has it's value on today's vessel, but it is not a necessity.
My priorities would be focusing on safety and contingency training for entire family. Then worry about the extras. Just my two cents.

If I couldn't afford a laptop and a safe boat, in my opinion I would not be able to afford a boat. I think a laptop is basic equipment for the great majority of people.