13-year old girl wants to sail around the world...alone

[sfa]

Well, I wouldn't let MY 13 year old daughter do this, but my daughter (currently just 10) seems to have the judgment and planning skills of a, um, a thing with no judgment or planning skills. I was going to say "squirrel" but realized that they have pretty good planning skills. She's just scattered, can't focus on any one thing for more than 30 minutes, and has never shown the persistence it takes to really master a skill of any sort. So I can't imagine her, in three years, having what it would take in the way of skills, inner resources, strength and determination to take on a task like that.

That said, I wouldn't be against the idea in general if the 13 year old in question DID have what it would take to make a journey like this. The article said that two 17 year old boys are finishing up the journey, and they started at age 16. IME 13 year old girls and 16 year old boys are roughly at the same point in development, and I'd imagine that any kid whose parents would let them do something like this is already significantly more mature than most. I don't think a thing like schooling should be a consideration. Yes, she wouldn't be attending school, but someone out on a boat in an ocean these days is able to communicate pretty well with people on shore, so I'm pretty sure she could keep up with her parents overseeing her education from a distance. And even if she couldn't, frankly, missing a year or so of school isn't the end of the world--she could make up the year when she got back.

And about the pirates? How is being five years older or ten or 30 any more of a benefit if you're sailing solo anyway? You're going to be completely vulnerable to them on your own no matter what your age and avoiding them would largely be a matter of luck.

Sarah

[papaver]

Maybe mentally the 16 year old boy and the 13 year old girl are the same, but physically? I don't see her repairing a sail or a mast in the middle of a storm.


I wouldn't let her go for two years, a kid that age goes through huge changes mentally and physically. Heck, she doesn't even know what she wants in six months time. If she was 15-16 that would be different. But then she wouldn't break the record...

[lph]

She is probably an excellent sailor, and probably can cope with most expected equipment failures. I don't know that much about sailing, but I didn't think sheer brawn made that much of a difference. She could be as strong and capable as a petite adult woman.

But - and I say this as a mother of a 12 yr old boy, not girl - I really cannot see any 13-yr. old having the imagination, and resourcefulness, and the understanding of her own limitations, and the ability to judge other peoples intentions - to safely handle many other, unexpected situations. When I was 13 I was Superwoman. Nobody could tell me what I could or couldn't do, because I could do everything. I wildly overestimated my own abilities, and conveniently ignored any results to the contrary. Isn't this why kids aren't allowed to vote, or marry, or hold jobs?

[witeowl]

But - and I say this as a mother of a 12 yr old boy, not girl - I really cannot see any 13-yr. old having the imagination, and resourcefulness, and the understanding of her own limitations, and the ability to judge other peoples intentions - to safely handle many other, unexpected situations. When I was 13 I was Superwoman. Nobody could tell me what I could or couldn't do, because I could do everything. I wildly overestimated my own abilities, and conveniently ignored any results to the contrary. Isn't this why kids aren't allowed to vote, or marry, or hold jobs?

Well put. I teach in middle school and have the pleasure of working with some amazingly gifted (in many ways) students. I wouldn't want any of them to go on an extended journey like this alone. There are too many variables, and a 13 year old simply cannot reason through all the risks.

I'd say that this situation is analogous to "informed consent" in the medical world and how a minor is considered to be, simply, not capable of giving such. Thus, it falls on the parents shoulders, and I don't believe that parents should allow their child to take such extraordinary risks.

[Biciclista]

But - and I say this as a mother of a 12 yr old boy, not girl - I really cannot see any 13-yr. old having the imagination, and resourcefulness, and the understanding of her own limitations, and the ability to judge other peoples intentions - to safely handle many other, unexpected situations. When I was 13 I was Superwoman. Nobody could tell me what I could or couldn't do, because I could do everything. I wildly overestimated my own abilities, and conveniently ignored any results to the contrary. Isn't this why kids aren't allowed to vote, or marry, or hold jobs?

Yes, I agree with you completely here. I can't imagine that She can imagine just how long a year ALONE would be!

[papaver]

Yes, I agree with you completely here. I can't imagine that She can imagine just how long a year ALONE would be!

It's TWO years.

[Voodoo Sally]

my daughter (currently just 10) seems to have the judgment and planning skills of a, um, a thing with no judgment or planning skills. I was going to say "squirrel" but realized that they have pretty good planning skills.

LMAO.