Reasons you should take your children cruising soon

[letsgetsailing3]

Ask almost any parent why they are doing anything they want to do, and I promise you that they will say they're doing it for their kids. I'm certain they believe it, too.

Some people work harder for that promotion... for the kids. Some people get that high paying job... for the kids. Some people go boating... for the kids.

My point is that you don't need to get on a boat to spend more time with your kids. You just need to, wait for it...

... spend more time with your kids. Doesn't matter if you're on a boat, on a kayak, playing organized sports, having dinner at home, or on a camping trip in your back yard.

If you want to spend time with your kids on a boat, I have no problem with that. I encourage it. I think it's a fantastic idea. They'll get a lot out of it. I think spending time with your kids is the most valuable thing you can offer them.

I think, however, that it's your dream you're living. There's nothing wrong with that.

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

KIds today are far better educated,

Somone may want to look up where USA kids rank in National tests and then read a kexit exam from 1900 when making this comment. Knowing how to use an Ipad, Iphone, and post photos of their genitals on the internet is a little different from being educated. After 4yrs of home schooling and Cruising with the kids, they come home now from public high school laughing at the BS that goes on. Everyone is a winner, Retaking tests until they get a grade of B, Anti-bullying seminars, lowest common denominator programs and tests. Then there is the bogus socialization arguments...we heard them all weekly from our parants that were convinced our kids would be ruined by cruising. Of course, what do I know...I'm just a Bozo raising our kids aboard a boat waiting for Child Protective Services come and take them away for their own good.

[sparau]

Originally Posted by letsgetsailing3

My point is that you don't need to get on a boat to spend more time with your kids. You just need to, wait for it...

... spend more time with your kids.

...

I think, however, that it's your dream you're living. There's nothing wrong with that.

If you do already spend a lot of time playing with your kids then it seems a great way to experience a different lifestyle, one with less timeliness, more experience of nature or even other cultures if you can manage it (costs come into play there).

Well, that's my hope anyway.

I do get what you mean about people and circular arguments, humans are great at justifying whatever their choices are.

[Jimbo485]

After our kid was born, we had a vague 20 year plan for the family based around his informal education as a global citizen. That meant dividing our time between Chile, Australia, cruising the world during an economic slump, sending him off for an exchange year in Asia and making enough money along the way to keep it all going. Each change was based around his age or the economic downturn.

He is a native speaker in 2 languages, learning a 3rd now, can be left in charge during a gale, understands consequences and responsibilities and truly sees the world, not his local suburb, as his playground. And he still chats with his mates from across the world via the internet and has well formed relationships.

Get your kids out there! We need them to out number the old grey grandparents.

[chall]

Originally Posted by letsgetsailing3

let's be realistic -- parents choose the cruising life for themselves, not the kids.

Well ummm actually another no here as well.

We also choose the cruising life predominantly because of our daughter and the kind of upbringing we wanted to give her.

Don't get me wrong, we obviously love cruising and that is also part of why we are doing it but we are very much of the belief that it is going to be to the benefit of our daughter.

Funnily enough most other cruising families we meet say the same thing.

Originally Posted by letsgetsailing3

You can do a great job of raising your kids anywhere if you pay attention, love them, and don't let them walk all over you instead of doing your job as their parent.

Agreed. We are choosing to do it cruising.

[Catalpa1]

You know what, in the end it's all well and good for people here to say that the kids can have problems later in life etc, but I've also noticed that those people seem to have an opinion on just about EVERY topic that is brought up on these forums. How much time do you guys spend in front of your laptops cruising this forum????

Maybe the parents of the tearaway cruising kids should've spent more time with their children educating and guiding them (and having FUN WITH THEM)
and less time at the potlucks with a bottle of rum.....just saying.

Every parent inflicts their lifestyle on their kids, and those that don't think they do are just plain kidding themselves.

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by chall

Well ummm actually another no here as well.

We also choose the cruising life predominantly because of our daughter and the kind of upbringing we wanted to give her.

Don't get me wrong, we obviously love cruising and that is also part of why we are doing it but we are very much of the belief that it is going to be to the benefit of our daughter.

Funnily enough most other cruising families we meet say the same thing.




Agreed. We are choosing to do it cruising.

Ditto...
We could have went cruising anytime, heck it would have been MORE fun for US to have gone without the kids. I sure know it would have been easier and CHEAPER. The entire reason we did it when the kids were 9-14yrs old was so we could get them AWAY from frankly the **** CULTURE and let them grow up without their peirs defining them. The "kids need to be around other kids their age for socialization agrument" is about the most craziest lie we tell ourselves as a culture these days to justify letting kids be raised by the school, nannys, etc rather than parents. Almost every kid boat we hung with were there for the same reason to get their kids out of the Miley Cirus Wreaking Ball Culture.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by SV THIRD DAY

Ditto...
We could have went cruising anytime, heck it would have been MORE fun for US to have gone without the kids. I sure know it would have been easier and CHEAPER. The entire reason we did it when the kids were 9-14yrs old was so we could get them AWAY from frankly the **** CULTURE and let them grow up without their peirs defining them. The "kids need to be around other kids their age for socialization agrument" is about the most craziest lie we tell ourselves as a culture these days to justify letting kids be raised by the school, nannys, etc rather than parents. Almost every kid boat we hung with were there for the same reason to get their kids out of the Miley Cirus Wreaking Ball Culture.

+1,000,000!!!


If Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber got married and had kids, I'm pretty sure it would be the straw that broke the camels back and humanity would just implode in a fit of shame ...

[Waltzingmatilda]

Inspiring!

[capn_mark]

Originally Posted by SV THIRD DAY

Ditto... We could have went cruising anytime, heck it would have been MORE fun for US to have gone without the kids. I sure know it would have been easier and CHEAPER. The entire reason we did it when the kids were 9-14yrs old was so we could get them AWAY from frankly the **** CULTURE and let them grow up without their peirs defining them. The "kids need to be around other kids their age for socialization agrument" is about the most craziest lie we tell ourselves as a culture these days to justify letting kids be raised by the school, nannys, etc rather than parents. Almost every kid boat we hung with were there for the same reason to get their kids out of the Miley Cirus Wreaking Ball Culture.

I have been following this thread with great interest. We have 3 boys, (13, 10, 10) and their favorite thing in the world is to be on the boat. I think they spent 11 weeks on boats last year, all of it 'device free'. Ie no iPods except for music, or if we were researching something, or communicating. They spend their days fishing, hanging with other kids at the marina/beach/pool, and doing water sports. This typically happens for us during school breaks, but I have no problem pulling them out of class for a month if we have a big trip planned. They do their work like any home schooled kid, and typically return home ahead of the class. I wish I had that as a kid!

I would love to be out cruising, but for now 2 to 3 months is as close as I can get due to business commitments. Personally I can't think of a better way to bring up a family. That's why I love to see what other families are doing, and how their lives are progressing on the water. Many folks that have commented on this thread have blogs and websites, and I am familiar with your travels. Other folks, though, I don't (and probably others lurking like me) know the history and find many of these posts very enlightening. As someone with a young family, I am most interested in the opinion of those other families who have been there, done that, or are doing it now. Thanks for all the interesting comments, from what I gather, there are no or few regrets from those who have actually raised kids on the water. Great conversation!

[Teknav]

Hiya Mark! If you decide to "sail and school" your kids, it would be a good idea to have them at a one school year level higher than their home-based classmates. Kids need to be guided and challenged. Once they're ready to apply for college, they'll thank you for this. Make sure that they become their best at Math and Sciences. Buy several electronics project kits for them so that they can build singly and collectively; from mouser.com. This will teach them discipline and the very basics of engineering. Good luck!

Mauritz

[robert sailor]

Nothing wrong with Tecnavs ideas other than kids (people) either have a good aptitude for math and science or they don't. We don't get our writers,musicians and actors from math schools. Not that there is anything wrong with having a decent background in math and science.

[BandB]

Spending quality time with kids is so important. And there is no greater family activity than boating. I'd say this too. If you can't find weekends to get on the boat with them or can't find a couple of weeks or more in the summer, then you have problems you need to address. Time and love is what they're starving for.

Now, we don't have kids so how do we know any of this. Well, we are actively involved with a couple of orphanages. We see kids who in one way or another ended up without parents. The people running the orphanages are incredible with love and time and nurturing. Still the kids feel the hurt of at some point in their lives being rejected. Honestly we can relate because although we both had two people who mated and created us in our homes (sorry we can't use the word parents in their regard), we felt rejected, never felt the love, never experienced the positive experiences and emotions. And while we do give a good bit to the orphanages what the kids value most is when we give of ourselves. When we get in the floor and play board games with the young ones. Play basketball with the older ones. Talk girls or boys with the teens. Listen with them to their music. Talk about their lives. Over time we involved some of our friends too. Never asked any of them to give the orphanages a dollar. Just got them to go with us, then they'd go other times. We've spent every Christmas eve and Christmas morning with the kids at the first of those orphanages we were involved with for the last 12 years.

Boating with your kids, whether it's weekends, vacation or live aboard, just as with any activities spent with them, you'll get to know them. You'll find out what makes them tick, what makes them happy. You'll find out how unique and special each one is. And they'll get to know you. Not the you getting home late from the office and working weekends that they never spend time with. But the you who appreciates nature, who likes meeting different people, who is open to new things. The you who likes to go for a swim with them in crystal blue waters, who laughs and claps for the dolphins putting on a show for your boat as you cruise, the you who handles challenges well.

I remember very little from my childhood. My wife has worked to forget most of hers. I had the material things. I had parents who claimed to love me, who gave the appearance to outsiders of loving parents. But I had a very lonely life. I watched television and listened to radio alone in my room. I went to ball games alone. I boated alone. I was taught what was important in life but in such a wrong way. To them it was brains, power, earning ability, job. Accomplishment in those things. It was never love, caring, closeness. I was good at the things they taught me. I was at the age of 30 very accomplished in business, good income, very alone. I didn't like my life as it was but I didn't know another way. I was comfortable in business but shy and introverted in social settings. Then the most beautiful girl in the world, inside and out, saw me one night and asked "Why so sad?" What a question. She meant at the moment, but could have been asking about my entire life. I was never again sad or lonely. Not from that moment forward. She also opened me up and friends came into our lives. And I found that unlike my parents I could love. I could feel passionate about life and those in my life. I could get to know the kids at the orphanage in ways my parents never knew me. Get them to open up to me while my parents never to the day they died had any idea how the sad little boy felt.

So do take your children cruising. If you don't have a boat take them cruising in the metaphorical sense. Talk. Share. Experience life together. Oh and while you're at it, do the same with your spouse. Dream together, fantasize, do those things together that bring you joy. And if something is preventing that then it's time to readdress your priorities. I worked many long hours, many long weeks prior to meeting my wife. 60 hours per week was probably the norm. But then I changed, not for her as much as for myself. I got home and ate dinner with her every evening. I worked five days a week. I even changed the work culture of my office as I saw what I and others were missing. We have shared life in every way, the deepest darkest parts of our past, our futures. We've met challenges that we faced beyond the imagination of most, some we can never discuss with anyone else, but it's been perfect.

Sorry to preach but guess the title of this thread felt like the topic for doing so. A lot of potential boaters talk about all the boating you'll do when you retire. Life is now. Make the most of it now. That starts with family, friends, and loved ones.

[PDA1]

Originally Posted by SV THIRD DAY

The entire reason we did it when the kids were 9-14yrs old was so we could get them AWAY from frankly the **** CULTURE and let them grow up without their peirs defining them. The "kids need to be around other kids their age for socialization agrument" ....... Miley Cirus Wreaking Ball Culture.

Well said.

Someday I want to be able to speak a word freely without fear of government monitoring and the herd mentality.

I don't want my kids to be "socialists" and no I don't want them to be like other kids. Anyone can conform to the current standard. That's what the chant of "socialization" is about.

As to a nationality and the contribution "to the local community" one will make when a child becomes an adult is ridiculous. In America we're taxed to death. We're spied on in all of our electronic communication.
We can't do mostly anything without "permission" from the parasitic bureaucracy. Kids are required to attend government controlled schools. Privacy and anonymity are mostly a memory that some people have and most people could care less about.

Welcome to America- the freest country in the world!

Cruising can take us to a better place and away from all of the "noise" of life.

[PDA1]

Originally Posted by minaret

+1,000,000!!!


If Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber got married and had kids, I'm pretty sure it would be the straw that broke the camels back and humanity would just implode in a fit of shame ...

No idea what that means but I loved watching the Bieber guy throw up on stage!

The show must go on!