Raising Kids On A Boat

[timgoz]

Thoughts or exeriences sought.

[westlawn5554X]

Mmmm..... I have read somewhere Thomas Colvin went sailing with his family for nearly 10 years... with his wife and children... might be an interesting article... I will post the link if I remember it tim

[Fanie]

Ooooh, just look at that avatar !

Oh boy. Tim you have plans ?

I have also read an article on kids lived on the boat untill they went to school.

Personally I don't think (small) kids should go on or near boats but that's just me. You have to watch them 24/7.

On land when things become too much (temporary) you can walk out the yard and pick a fight with the neighbour or visit a friend or harrass the nearest policeman. (trust me) The romance of pitter patter of little feet can sometimes turn into mind shattering grinding frustration. You will need a break once in a while, so will lovie-dovie.

Plan this thing smartly, it's hell untill they live in a foreign country

[lazeyjack]

in the ocean cruising fraternity you often meet children on boats doing school by corrospondence Way up in the pacific islands
By my observations, they seem to develope into well rounded individuals they seem more grown up, polite
It is a great lifestyle Any lifestyle close to nature will produce a better type of person, regardless, as one grows up being aware of nature, the planet, other cultures
yes 10 years cruisin should be a compulsary core subject)

[safewalrus]

as a so called expert (I've spent some years as a kid on a boat!) it's a great life - sure it has problems, especially in the schooling, but so has living elsewhere on land! If you can give your kids (how many you planning on?) a couple of years on a boat do it! Between the ages of say 6 and 12 are the best years. Under 6 and they can't really look out for themselves over 12 and they need to be in a settled place for their education - still live on the boat but it DOESN'T MOVE!

Going back to the schooling, better to 'home school' than keep changing every few months, that way causes total chaos, each school does it differently, even using the same syllabus and it takes ages to catch up (if ever) After 13 different schools between the ages of 5 and 15 I can assure you it ain't easy!!

But as I said - if you can between the ages of 6 to 12 do - they'll thank you for it (and amazingly enough it will make your boating more fun to!!)

Mike

[eastcape]

Just go and do it.

I was a lucky one to have had the opportunity to be raised on a sail boat in the South Pacific.

I hope to offer my young family the same soon. I would recommend to anyone it is well worth the risks.

Your kids may miss the prom night, but the life lessons you will give them now, will last a life time! Your kids will thank you later in life..

All the best in your adventures!

[westlawn5554X]

err... they have educator teaching them through HF radio... even now we have sat linking us almost to every website... shouldnt be a problem... they (childen) can enroll westlawn on board and send homework back to school by email...

[timgoz]

Thanks all.

Mike, Soraya is talking about four kids, but with her being 35 and I 44, I think two would be more reasonable.

We would definetly home school. She has a four year degree, and I have at least 6 years of post highschool education.

Tim

[safewalrus]

she wants four? better get busy buddy, ain't got no time for sailing and things! There again my wife had her youngest at 43, trouble is they do get hard work when your older (yes guys bloody hard work when your young too, I know, especially when your youngest is nearly 8 as opposed to the second grandchild who is 8!)

[Ike]

I would suggest you also post your question at LivingAboard.com's forum. http://www.livingaboard.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi Many if the people there are living aboard with children.

[timgoz]

Thank you Ike. I was unaware of that site.

Tim

[westlawn5554X]

Thank you timgoz. I was unaware of that I havent had children.

[safewalrus]

Can I go on it? I'm still a child, tried theis grown up once didn't like it and so went back to petulant child! More fun!!

[timgoz]

Thats funny Mike, my girlfriend told me the other day not to be "petulant". Had to look it up, as I had heard it but was not quite sure of the meaning.

Tim

PS. I signed up for livingaboard's forum and they declined me. Said my email address was a "red flag" that indicated I might be a spammer. So can anyone tell me what my email address is derived from,? Positive rep points for the first correct answer. tvmdcaw@juno.com.

[masalai]

"I am taking on or discharging explosives"? or "B" - - alternatively, that ISP has a bad reputation for being infected with mal-ware which lets "spammers take over the site as if it were their own and like a fungi, spread its spawn all over the area... Suggest that your ISP runs "Linux Red Hat" or some of the unix like operating systems with better security and defences against this sort of "attack"...