'A Dream Not Fit for Kids!'

[Woodsong]

Originally Posted by Pblais

Maybe you should fight City Hall instead. There is always a chance for justice.

hahaha! You all crack me up. I'm actually really good friends with city hall here locally so that may be a valid option.


I have never sailed beyond afternoons on our little snark. Despite that, I really can't get this idea out of my head. I've tried and tried but it really won't go away (idea being sail around the islands, maybe further, probably on a sailboat of some sort, or perhaps just a trawler and do the great loop...point being just to get out of home, be on the water, travel, show the kids there is more out there than our hometown and fun vacations to the beach). Obviously it makes no sense to pick up and leave and do this but well, dreams I guess don't consult logic in these matters. If you haven't seen any of our posts, we are pretty active power boaters (own a 38 sedan bridge) and spent about 100 nights on our boat last year as a family just on our local large-ish lake. So we at least know what it means to anchor out, entertain and live on a boat, etc. etc.

I grew up traveling as a child and through my college years on my own. Some of my earliest memories are of flying to far flung places of the world with my family (mom worked for the airlines so we flew free and flew often). I look back at all the memories I have from that and how much it showed me the world and it's beauty while my friends at home doing nothing but watching TV, and well, I just can't help but think what an amazing opportunity it would be for our children and my wife and I to do this.

The problem is, despite being amazingly blessed where we are in just about every regard, the idea of continuing to live in the suburbs for another 20 years...hmmm....I just think our children could see and learn so much more, if even just for a summer cruise or who knows. My wife agrees that the suburban life is boring and we're both ready for a change but she wants to buy a small farm. I want a sailboat.


Maybe I should just suggest we go for a little "3 day cruise down on the coast" and just kind of keep going....

[schoonerdog]

Sailing Ohana is a great site (though they chaged the page to charter - you can still find info on their adventure)

Sailing Zen

O'Vive

s/v Independence (4 year old and 1 year old)


Of course - TOAST!

[Woodsong]

Also, thanks to all for the links thus far! I am clicking through them. I appreciate it! Maxingout- love the 34 things in 33,000 miles list!

[Pblais]

Maybe I should just suggest we go for a little "3 day cruise down on the coast" and just kind of keep going....

If you can try a week you could then maybe try a month. Sooner or later you are ready or you prefer to just go back to what you were doing before. The appeal of something often does not meet expectations. Obviously you already now have the fundamentals of the boat operation down. Better to get a good taste of it and then start making plans.

Dreams are only an idea but adventures require planning and preparation.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Woodsong

. I look back at all the memories I have from that and how much it showed me the world and it's beauty while my friends at home doing nothing but watching TV, and well, I just can't help but think what an amazing opportunity it would be for our children and my wife and I to do this.

The problem is, despite being amazingly blessed where we are in just about every regard, the idea of continuing to live in the suburbs for another 20 years...hmmm....I just think our children could see and learn so much more, if even just for a summer cruise or who knows. My wife agrees that the suburban life is boring and we're both ready for a change but she wants to buy a small farm. I want a sailboat.

Lot of that TV stuff..........sick!

Maybe a fish farm.

[DavidGC]

Sailing literature is full of stories by people who have raised their kids while cruising. With the proper attitude from mom and dad, I can't think of a better way to raise kids.

(Warning: Rant ahead.)

Go hang around a school for a few days and see how much time is spent in a 6 - 7 hour day actually learning. After "morning meeting," and lining up for various activities, and recess and lunch, and transitioning from subject to subject -- not to mention half days, days off for "in-service teacher training," school assemblies, pep rallies, and on and on and on . . . I would estimate that a typical public school child spends maybe an average of 2 hours in each day actually being taught/learning. My wife works in a school and I have personal experience with at least four different school systems, and it's the same all over. Let's not even discuss curriculum, and how much time is wasted on nonsense or matters better left to the family in the first place.

Now, compare that to a couple of kids who have both of their parents sharing the job of "teacher." Maybe mom takes care of the humanities and dad takes care of the sciences (on my boat it would be the opposite). Ninety minutes of each -- one in the morning, one in the afternoon -- and you're already increasing the education time by 50%. But, the learning doesn't stop at the end of the lesson, like it does in public school. You might be studying about the life cycle of a coral reef -- then you get to actually spend hours snorkeling on one. What better way to learn about geography and other cultures than to plan a voyage and then actually go there. How about foreign languages? Spend six months in a Mexican port and your kids will be speaking Spanish better than if they took six years of study in a classroom.
If a certain lesson or subject is really capturing your kid's imagination, you don't have to stop just because a bell rings and it's time for something completely different. You're free to explore for as long as you like --- and to integrate all of the educational disciplines into the lessons. Science, math, geography, literature, writing can all be made a part of whatever it is your child is studying (unlike what happens in most public schools where you're lucky if your kid is even made to spell properly when writing a science paper -- a paper that is usually in no way connected to their real life and will be forgotten ten minutes after it is finished).
What about the day to day responsibilities of being part of a crew? Even young children can be given responsibilities that make a real contribution to the voyage. Once they reach 13 or so, day watches should be part of their contribution. How about learning how to navigate? There's math, research skills, astronomy, weather science all in one. There's diesel mechanics and electronics, etc etc etc. No wonder kids who grow up and are home schooled on cruising boats typically score several grade levels higher than classroom educated kids.

How can anyone say that a cruising life is not kid friendly?

The only reason my family is not cruising right now (mom, dad, boy 13 and girl 11) is that my son is autistic and requires special services my wife and I are not equipped to give him (and the lack of respite services would not be a good thing, either).

I envy any of you who are able to raise your kids while cruising. What a wonderful gift you are giving them.

DGC

[TAREUA]

Woodsong, all my cruising started with a Snark. Some of my favorite sailing memories involve a Sunflower and a Sea Snark playing tag on a lake by moonlight. It's all a variation of the same thing whether its the middle of a lake or the middle of the Pacific: if the sailboat talks to you, it talks to you.
My wife and I came back from 3 years cruising to have kids. We bought the farmhouse, and the acreage. It has been great for our kids, but now they spend their days at school and I spend my days at work. When I ask them what happened at school the answer is either 'nothing' or a story about recess. My stories about work would be pretty much the same. We should have left to go cruising again two years ago, now we have to untangle a bit from the economic mess before we can leave. In my opinion, for me and my family, not taking the kids cruising would be the irresponsible act. Good luck to you whatever direction you head!

[mike d.]

WoodSong your wife is probably suffering from controlled conditioning. the gov. has made it their life mission to make everyone in need of their support, instead of a family support unit it has be come a gov. support unit. she is prob afraid to leave behind that support because she has been taught that the gov. will be a major support sys. for your lives' and the children. get out of the rut and need opf gov. support your children will do fine out cruising. i grew up going from place to place by ship, (albeit ocean liner) your family's life would be closer to real world (you are at street level so to speak) meeting people one on one. how old am i? well i'm old enough to remember that ocean travel was the way to go before the airliner (no not that old but old enough) was young in life then, but the point is, that when you learn and retain the surrondings from different life experinces you become more rounded in life and understand the different cultures you experience on life's road

[Woodsong]

Well, I think her concerns are more about lightening storms, huge waves, rogue waves, boat sinking, lost at sea, adrift, dying of dehydration in a dingy at sea for 10 days...that kind of stuff. Maybe through in a murderous pirate here or there for good measure as well.

Paul said above: "Dreams are only an idea but adventures require planning and preparation."

Extremely true words!! I am not proposing, nor would I want to, hit the road tomorrow. I used to plan mutlimonth long backcountry expeditions so I am a big proponent of proper planning. I know it will take a ton of planning and preparation. I've come up with a financial plan that makes solid sense on doing this. All our commercial properties are rented out with good tenants that are doing well despite the economy. We would sell a few of the properties but keep the 2 that cash flow the best and have most potential upside down the road, as well as keep our home. Our current boat is on the market as are the other properties we want to offload. We are going to do something I think...question is WHAT. I'm into the farm idea but not before I stretch my sea legs. Like I said earlier, maybe it's just buying a fuel efficient diesel trawler and doing all or part of the great loop. Maybe it's a sailboat and going to the islands and then see what happens. I don't know the answer to that yet. For some reason just the idea of a sailboat concerns her but a trawler seems more manageable to her. So- maybe that's the answer- buy a single screw trawler set up for cruising and see what happens. I'd rather have a sailboat (don't ask me why- it's not like I've ever owned a 40' sailboat!!), but hey- being on a cruise on a trawler is better than no sailboat or trawler and staying here and working.
We already homeschool the kids so we can keep doing that (I think homeschooling on a boat would be easier b/c it would allow me to actually help part-time (as referenced above by others) vs. me being at work all day and she 100% on her own to do the homeschooling.

I think she is mostly concerned we will die in a big storm miles from nowhere or just as bad, be cooped up in a small boat with hyperactive kids bored out of their mind driving her crazy. As a family though, we love boating. Our children have an amazing sense of wonder at the world, love nature, love learning, are extremely intelligent (I'm sure everyone says that). I feel they would excell at having the world as their classroom. I feel like if we could overcome the fear factor of this change and this adventure that we (she!) would never want to come back. The longest we've spent on our boat in one stretch is about 7 days and I was just getting warmed up when it was time to go back to work.

Anyway, everything's on the market and we're talking about everything so we'll see what happens. Worse case, some of our assets sell, we stay put, and my life gets more simplified where we are. That wouldn't be bad either- we have a great set up in a great town with great neighbors and great work with great friends. Life is overall good- I just keep hearing the horizon calling to me and I want to show it to my children and enjoy this amazing time in our lives as a family.

Ok. Head out of clouds. Back to work.

P.S. Thanks all for letting me ponder all this here. My day to day friends would find me crazy (albiet not surprised to hear me saying this stuff).

[Amfivena]

Considering that the leading cause of death for children is auto accidents, it is highly irresponsible of parents to raise their kids on land...<g>

Seriously, the most dangerous thing people regularly do is drive a car. I can't believe all these parents that don't let kids walk anywhere. Bad stuff is more likely to happen driving around than anywhere else.

Other posters have mentioned the numerous other positives. Although the thing that strikes me the most about marina life is my kids actually know and talk to our neighbors. On land I went weeks without talking to fellow condo dweller.

[MarkJ]

On the weekend, saturday we had 2 boys, 8 and 14 on board. Sunday a 3 year old girl.

The 2 boys got on and immediately said "can we jump off"? They then jumped off the boat, raced up the ladder and jumped again maybe.... 200 times... more? They just didn't stop! How many calories they burned.

Miss 3 year old scoured the boat for stuffed toys (we have a few ) and she sat down and made sailing adventure stories with them. Too cute!

Kids! Why take them cruising when you could sell them and buy a bigger boat!




mark

[Tempest245]

Take them along...and sell them one at a time....to top up the kitty.

My goddaughter at 8 ..holds a better course than most of the adults ...she eats less and doesn't drinlk my beer.....

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Woodsong

Well, I think her concerns are more about lightening storms, huge waves, rogue waves, boat sinking, lost at sea, adrift, dying of dehydration in a dingy at sea for 10 days...that kind of stuff. Maybe through in a murderous pirate here or there for good measure as well.

.

If you (she) reads a little you (she again) would find out that stuff is pretty much a load of XXXX.

You already home school!!!

You are almost there!

[Marna]

The argument my Hubster used for a sailboat over a trawler was that while it's possible to run out of gas, you are much less likely to run out of air.

I move my kids on average every 18 months. It's the same life I had as a kid. My experience is that kids adapt to their surroundings remarkably well. My kids excel at making friends quickly, fitting into new environments and rolling with whatever life throws at them. I can't think of a better training to give them for the real world.

I've had the small farm--horses and alpacas. It's a heck of a lot of work, usually involving either being up at the crack of dawn, being up to your elbows in disgusting things or both. Right now, I'd much rather be hoisting sails than putting foal chains on a not-quite-born-yet baby horse.

[quidam]

Woodsong,

A suggestion would be to seek compromise. Ask for and plan 1 year off to sail the Great Lakes and/or do the Great Loop to get her more comfortable with the idea. It may be easier to sell her on the premise that you can duck into port if needed almost anywhere along the way. This could be a great way to build confidence in your abilities (and hers, which may be more of a concern to her).

When I first met Bruce, my significant other, I had my own concerns about this wild dream of his. 10 years later and 3/4's of the Great Loop and other sailing adventures under our belts we're both ready to cast off and I'm doing everything I can to get us closer to this day. Would have gladly done the liveaboard lifestyle, had it not been for the fact that he was divorced and his ex wouldn't take to kindly his taking the kids. But I can tell you, Bruce's kids all thoroughly enjoyed their crusing time onboard having taken large blocks of time over summer breaks, mostly and hated having to go back home at the end of the trip.

Michele

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“While you are alive, conquer death, and you shall have no regrets in the end.” Sri Guru Granth Sahib quote