A baby's ears are so sensitive and I would like to hear from an MD about the effect on a baby's equilibrium with the constant motion of the sea for extended periods of time. It seems to me the children could have all kinds of issues arising from this stupid trip (her words not mine).
I am glad the Navy sank their boat. They wanted to tag it and just let it drift so they could somehow find it again. Pffffft. Bravo, Navy Sailors!!
The article:
The family reportedly was given one trip to get their things off the boat as much as they can carry -- before sailors sunk the Rebel Heart in the ocean, according to a Facebook update English posted Sunday evening.
http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/loc...t-with-Sick-Baby-254056951.html#ixzz2yBcGvO3X
Could this childs leg developed improperly from learning to walk while on a boat had they been able to continue with the trip?This age is important in muscle development.
I have a very different perspective than most on here although my ultimate conclusion is the same as everyone else's. I believe we have so given in to a culture of fear and nannying about the parenting choices of others that we have given up the ability in some way, to fully live or to allow freedom of choice to others.
Life has inherent risks. Adventure is okay. And yes, even adventure with children, who do not have the capacity to choose, is okay, under certain conditions.
For example, I don't have a problem with the family who does plane stunts for a living, having their young children do a plane stunt fully harnassed, even though there is risk that the planes could've crashed. I don't have a problem with parents who take their young children up Mt. Kilimanjaro to be the youngest person to make the ascent. I don't have a problem with the parents who allowed their fully trained 17 or even 14 year olds attempt circumnavigation. Color me crazy, but I reject the climate of fear. Not everyone has it in them to adhere to strict rules regarding safety. And if everyone did, there would be no children gymnasts, motocross riders, martial artists, acrobats, football players, etc.
For goodness' sake, the US was founded on adventuring families. Families who risked far more than this one, taking their children and pregnant wives into the wilds, with no help around for not miles, but WEEKS. None of that would've been possible if the people back then lived in the culture of fear of today. They would've been arrested for child abuse.
I think we get a bit extreme when we attribute equilibrium damage or leg problems to a few weeks on a boat. Plenty of babies and toddlers travel by ship, on cruise boats, etc., and experience rough seas, even in those large ships. And, there are whole cultures of people who live on boats. Google Sea Gypsies for example.
And yes, I myself am not willing to put a child of mine at risk in such an adventure. But many of families actually do. There are adventuring families who live at sea, or bike with their small kids across a continent or two, etc. And my personal parenting choices should not govern the choices others make.
That being said, while I am not opposed, in general, to parents allowing risk into their children's lives in a way I myself would not, I find these people to be exceedingly ignorant and selfish and I hope they will be charged with criminal negligence, for the reasons stated below:
I really couldn't understand what the big deal was. People sail with young kids, I know a couple who did this around the world. I didn't read anything as I thought about this. But then I read facebook. Crazy. Taking a ride from strangers in mexico with your children how foolishly stupid can you be. And I saw the ship.. Kids can't even play outside without almost falling in arghhh. I could go on. Maybe they should of traveled the world before they had kids. I hope the girl is feeling better.
Omg...shaving in the blender pitcher, rinsing diapers in the gally sink..are these people for real? Could they not at least brought a bucket for such things? Those poor babies...:banghead::banghead:
Hummmmmmmmmmm Rebel Heart. I think the name of the boat puts it all into perspective. These two were going to do whatever they wanted to do and "damn you" if you didn't like it.
They did not have the experience to sail in the open ocean the way they were attempted to do. I'm beginning to think that this trip was indeed a "pipe dream" with absolutely no regard for the safety and well being of the children. It is no wonder that the baby was sick, I'm very surprised that the entire family did not die at sea with the totally unsanitary conditions on board. Add that to the inexperience of the couple and their inability to comprehend the dangers of sailing untrained and unprepared and you have the makings of a tragedy. They do not have the sense to take care of children.:banghead:
These parents are arrogant and selfish, IMO. This was about them, not their family. This was about getting attention and being cool, not about lifestyle or education or achievement. (I hated, BTW, that post about depriving her poor kid of a bit of cake so she could eat it herself. What mother does that? Most mothers sacrifice everything for their kids bit of pleasure. Geez.)
They were woefully unprepared. The boat they used was unseaworthy and prone to taking on water. They didn't even have a bucket? And what's this nonsense about cleaning poo diapers in a food sink? Hello? There is a massive ocean right outside the window. A little baby poop and soap wouldn't have hurt the ocean! Clean it there!
And they were extremely inexperienced. If you get seasick, you're not sea faring and should stay on dry land rather than sailing for weeks. Insanity! You can die from seasickness. If this family had strong sea legs and their kids had been born on boats, that's one thing. But the mother was prone to sea sickness? That says it all. And if she was, chances are the kids were.
I see no experience or preparedness to speak of- just selfish, ignorant people who spent most of their time complaining about their lack of preparedness and the rigors of the "adventure". Nonsense. The constant complaints of the mother about what she was suffering betray their intolerance and incompatibility with any significant adventure. I've read books by people who have taken their families on crazy adventures like this. No complaints about the rigors. Just gratitude and awe and a chronicling of the obstacles they overcame.
I spoke above about a culture of fear we've developed in this country. We also have developed, however, IMO, a culture of narcissism that has resulted in he compulsion to display every aspect of one's life publicly, to be special and to receive accolades for being who you are.
This is what I think these people's cute little stunt was about, IMO, and they should pay for that.
