This one is 14. When will this madness stop?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100804/ap_on_re_eu/eu_netherlands_young_sailor
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100804/ap_on_re_eu/eu_netherlands_young_sailor
Here we go again... another teen sailor!
- Thread starter Brian D
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she is able, legal and her parents are behind...not our decision, nor did they ask us, either individually or as a nation/culture...
were it not for people to get up and out..we would still be in caves...vive la difference, march to a different drummer...and for sure if she were my kid, I would encourage her
Would you rather she do it virtually from her sofa and iPad....like the rest of our "well behaved" and educated kids here in the states..?
same points as with the others...it is their life, not yours...
give it a rest, oh and best of luck Ms Dekker
were it not for people to get up and out..we would still be in caves...vive la difference, march to a different drummer...and for sure if she were my kid, I would encourage her
Would you rather she do it virtually from her sofa and iPad....like the rest of our "well behaved" and educated kids here in the states..?
same points as with the others...it is their life, not yours...
give it a rest, oh and best of luck Ms Dekker
After reading the article, it sounds to me like, at 14, she's more prepared, more experienced, better equipped and more capable than thousands of 64 (or whatever) year old's who take off on their "dream" circumnavigation(s).... and never get more than a few hundred miles.
I have to agree w/ "kd"
Making stops means hanging out near the coast. Good for her! also, good call on the record agencies to kill the record for "youngest"
It's likely that these quests will eventually produce a tragedy. I sincerely hope that Laura Dekker is not the one. We'll see what all the supporters have to say when it happens.
My opinion is it casts sailing in a questionable light.
My opinion is it casts sailing in a questionable light.
Better than
Well it's alot better than getting into parting drinking and drugs like so many of young and old are doing these days,hope she does well with out any problems.
Nick
Well it's alot better than getting into parting drinking and drugs like so many of young and old are doing these days,hope she does well with out any problems.
Nick
It is the rare teenager who is mature enough to adequately plan anything and understand the consequences of their actions (or inactions). Mine seem newly astounded every time they wait until the last minute to plan/engage/perform, and then things don't turn out as they had hoped.
That being said, at least this latest teen sailing extravaganza looks much more sane. Shorter, coast-hopping trips that provide much more opportunities for rest, relaxation and other adventures. And as rare as it is, some teens are mature enought to handle the solitude and physical challenges of a trip like that. Sounds like the trip of lifetime. Personally, I don't see the attraction in doing something like that solo, but to each his own.
That being said, at least this latest teen sailing extravaganza looks much more sane. Shorter, coast-hopping trips that provide much more opportunities for rest, relaxation and other adventures. And as rare as it is, some teens are mature enought to handle the solitude and physical challenges of a trip like that. Sounds like the trip of lifetime. Personally, I don't see the attraction in doing something like that solo, but to each his own.
The difference is having a child die in combat versus having a child die from a drug over dose. In the former some good may have come from the loss, in the latter it is a complete waste.
Being married to a Brit, I've met lots of European kids. Overall, I find them to be much more mature than American kids. I find American parents, in general, (yes, I know, a broad generalization) coddle and shelter their kids too much. Indeed, I find that my fellow Americans are, in general, blissfully but ignorantly unaware of how the rest of the world lives and operates. Seeing the world really helps you understand how good we have it.
My son is 9, and I want what's best for him. I want him to grow old having lived a happy and fulfilled life. Whatever he does, I'll try to teach him what I know, and help him as much as I can to make good choices, but I won't make his choices for him. If he joins the military and goes into combat, I'll be worried sick, but I'll be proud of him. If he chooses to circumnavigate the globe in a kayak, I'll be worried sick, but I'll support him. Hopefully, I'll have done my job as a parent and taught him and helped him learn from other more knowledgeable sources than I what he needs to know to accomplish his dreams.
The son of a retired local judge here, when he was about 25, went to Europe for a summer on a backpacking trip. He was killed in a run-of-the-mill car accident. Very sad. But he was doing something he loved and was seeing the world like most of us never will. Another friend of mine's daughter died while working in India doing charity work. Sad again, but wow! What an adventure she had.
Having done a bunch of bareboat charter vacations, I envy this girl her coming adventures. It looks like she's done her homework, so to speak. I don't think it's madness at all. More power to her, and I wish her well.
My son is 9, and I want what's best for him. I want him to grow old having lived a happy and fulfilled life. Whatever he does, I'll try to teach him what I know, and help him as much as I can to make good choices, but I won't make his choices for him. If he joins the military and goes into combat, I'll be worried sick, but I'll be proud of him. If he chooses to circumnavigate the globe in a kayak, I'll be worried sick, but I'll support him. Hopefully, I'll have done my job as a parent and taught him and helped him learn from other more knowledgeable sources than I what he needs to know to accomplish his dreams.
The son of a retired local judge here, when he was about 25, went to Europe for a summer on a backpacking trip. He was killed in a run-of-the-mill car accident. Very sad. But he was doing something he loved and was seeing the world like most of us never will. Another friend of mine's daughter died while working in India doing charity work. Sad again, but wow! What an adventure she had.
Having done a bunch of bareboat charter vacations, I envy this girl her coming adventures. It looks like she's done her homework, so to speak. I don't think it's madness at all. More power to her, and I wish her well.
Considering that I was at one point the youngest commercial lobsterman in the state of NH, at the ripe old age of 11, and fishing solo 7 days per week, I take much of these posts as personally offensive. Frankly it's none of your business.
If you want to be helicopter parents to your kids go for it, but please don't try to tell me or my child what they can't do or when they are ready to do it. Just cause your kid has been locked in a padded rubber room, smothered and had the fear of god instilled in them about nearly everything in life does not mean we all raise our children as children. Hell my buddy Jay rode his bike cross country solo at the age of 12 while most kids were still sucking their thumbs and crying for mommy when they stubbed a toe. He was ready and mature enough they were not.
My sea skills at 11 put to shame many people who eclipsed me by 40 or 50 years. My parents knew my skills and trusted me to make the right decisions, which I always did. I see many young sailors in our Yacht Club sailing program whom I would rather sail with than many adults because they "get it" better and often times make better decision on the water than adults. Kids absorb soooooo much info we forget how much they can do, but lately our society always seems to PRESUME & ASSUME what they CAN'T do. If you keep telling your kids they can't do something then they WILL fail we only need to look at the state of our society today to see that helicoptering your kids has not been all that great for the state of our youth.
I never once heard from either of my parents that I was too young or could not do something. I was always supported to follow what I believed I could do. When I failed I learned a lesson and got back up and tried differently. I never got a "see I told you so" only support & TRUST.
When I wanted a bigger lobster boat at age 12 I told my dad about the boat I wanted and he said go for it. If you sell more lobsters and work hard you'll be able to afford it here's what you can do to make it more efficient. I got that boat because I was supported and never doubted.
To the Robin Lee Graham's, Abby & Zac's Sunderland's, Laura Decker's and all others that have the dream, you have and will ALWAYS have my full support. I too had the dream when I was young but I was too busy running my own company to break away and actually do something about it. My bad, lesson learned..
100's of teens will die behind the wheel just this week alone and I doubt ONE solo young sailor will die in the same time period. Lock up the car keys until their 40!!!!!!
Hell more kids die with adults on-board than solo young sailors. The NANNY state we live in has gone a little to FAR!!
Rant over...
If you want to be helicopter parents to your kids go for it, but please don't try to tell me or my child what they can't do or when they are ready to do it. Just cause your kid has been locked in a padded rubber room, smothered and had the fear of god instilled in them about nearly everything in life does not mean we all raise our children as children. Hell my buddy Jay rode his bike cross country solo at the age of 12 while most kids were still sucking their thumbs and crying for mommy when they stubbed a toe. He was ready and mature enough they were not.
My sea skills at 11 put to shame many people who eclipsed me by 40 or 50 years. My parents knew my skills and trusted me to make the right decisions, which I always did. I see many young sailors in our Yacht Club sailing program whom I would rather sail with than many adults because they "get it" better and often times make better decision on the water than adults. Kids absorb soooooo much info we forget how much they can do, but lately our society always seems to PRESUME & ASSUME what they CAN'T do. If you keep telling your kids they can't do something then they WILL fail we only need to look at the state of our society today to see that helicoptering your kids has not been all that great for the state of our youth.
I never once heard from either of my parents that I was too young or could not do something. I was always supported to follow what I believed I could do. When I failed I learned a lesson and got back up and tried differently. I never got a "see I told you so" only support & TRUST.
When I wanted a bigger lobster boat at age 12 I told my dad about the boat I wanted and he said go for it. If you sell more lobsters and work hard you'll be able to afford it here's what you can do to make it more efficient. I got that boat because I was supported and never doubted.
To the Robin Lee Graham's, Abby & Zac's Sunderland's, Laura Decker's and all others that have the dream, you have and will ALWAYS have my full support. I too had the dream when I was young but I was too busy running my own company to break away and actually do something about it. My bad, lesson learned..
100's of teens will die behind the wheel just this week alone and I doubt ONE solo young sailor will die in the same time period. Lock up the car keys until their 40!!!!!!
Hell more kids die with adults on-board than solo young sailors. The NANNY state we live in has gone a little to FAR!!Rant over...
Is there a bunch of dead kids? It seems to me there are A LOT more stupid adults that are fish food. Criticize all you like but the dead ones aren't these kids, it's the veterans single handing back from a weekend on Catalina and didn't feel the need to hook in. The kids apparently actually do what they were trained to do and survive.
Well said, Maine....My 10 year old job was driving a large John Deere on a potato farm in Maine...I was told what to do, learned and did well, failure was met with patience, more instruction and guidance. That then was followed by independence and responsibility..like you when I wanted to branch out and do other's fields...my dad said work hard, save your $$ and buy a used tractor...I did..and was quite successful. Parents should be parents..
I always look at a 3-4 year old kid, who has the capacity and ability to learn any language or several languages...we in america only EXPECT one...and that is exactly what we get...elsewhere in the world several are expected and as a result are learned...
In this language case, it is never too young, and by the time the kid is a teen, his mouth and teeth are formed such that he can no longer speak some languages correctly..and then the mind has lost that wide open ability to learn multiples.
Kids live up or down to our expectations...
I always look at a 3-4 year old kid, who has the capacity and ability to learn any language or several languages...we in america only EXPECT one...and that is exactly what we get...elsewhere in the world several are expected and as a result are learned...
In this language case, it is never too young, and by the time the kid is a teen, his mouth and teeth are formed such that he can no longer speak some languages correctly..and then the mind has lost that wide open ability to learn multiples.
Kids live up or down to our expectations...
Ross:
Combat?!!! You send your kid to sea and consider that combat.
“Old age and treachery will overcome youth and skill”
You can send your children or grand children. I want mine to be around to make up their own mines. They should not be influenced by the ones that went before them to "Set a New Record".
Combat?!!! You send your kid to sea and consider that combat.
“Old age and treachery will overcome youth and skill”
You can send your children or grand children. I want mine to be around to make up their own mines. They should not be influenced by the ones that went before them to "Set a New Record".
I taught my kids where the dangers were, where the risks were and explained the consequences of being careless. I taught them how to climb trees even when the first limbs were twenty feet from the ground. Neither of them suffered any injuries that required medical treatment. They in turn are teaching their kids how to live and balance risk and reward.
Criminal behavior
It's felony child endangerment. Social Services should have the parents arrested.
It's felony child endangerment. Social Services should have the parents arrested.
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