Around the world in...

I just read the following article:

Travel the world

I personally am completely offended. If they had a "comment" section, I would've commented (not that it would do any good).

Here's a girl who has trained for basically 10 years to go on an adventure. She has developed her skills, mentality, and equipment so she is ready to go.

Her parents (who seem reasonably minded and intelligent) also have evaluated her skills and feel she has the ability and is ready to go.

But some whining, crying, left-winged liberal "do-gooder" social worker has to stick their nose in and harass the whole family and try and shatter the dreams of a young girl.

What kind of crap is this? Leave her alone...wish her well...get her autograph NOW!!! before she goes.

It's not like she saw the boy who just went around the world and said "oh...I wanna do that...I'll leave tomorrow". It's not like her parents bought her a boat for her birthday and said "hey...here's a boat...sail around the world".

She has wanted to do this for YEARS...and has trained for it...studied it...planned it. And now...because some stupid government agency feels they need to "be important"...they are putting her at risk.

Risk of delaying her trip could mean having her face storms and severe weather that she would not likely face if she left on time.
Risk of postponing her trip so she won't be able to achieve the record she so desperately is in contention for...and part of the point of the trip to begin with.
Risk of disheartening a girl and her dream...and dashing the hopes & dreams of millions of other youth will may throw their hands up and say "why bother pursuing anything...if some whining adult is just going to shatter it anyway".

Maybe since our forum is hosted in Europe...someone over there will find this post and forward it to the social service worker who has interfered. Maybe they'll find out that people around the world think they should MIND THEIR OWN BUSINESS...and go find a real job...one that doesn't interfere with people's dreams!!!

Well the government should mind there own business. I as a parent couldn't imagine wanting my child to do that. You wouldn't see your child for 2 years?

perhaps...but it's not like they don't communicate.

these kids take gps, satellite phones, etc. with them to track weather, stay in communication.

Maybe because she is 13 is the main reason the government agency has stepped in.

I suspect there will be considerable communication, with the parents traveling to ports and meeting up with the child. I think she is too young. And too vulnerable.

by whose standard is she too young?

again...she's had 10 YEARS of training.

It's learning and education.

13 USED to be the age where kids were married (look at the Romeo & Juliet story)

Ummm, I guess by MY standards. I accept you feel she is ready. I don't. I don't believe a 13 year old is emotionally or even physically ready for such an arduous journey.

Again...by whose standards.

It's not for ME to say she can or can't go.
Her parents (BOTH parents) feel she is ready.
She obviously has friends & family supporting her.

So why should the government be "allowed" to step in and say "sorry...WE don't feel you're ready"?

It's NONE OF THEIR BUSINESS!!!

If the parents feel she is ready, and willing to let her go...then let her go. If something happens to her...don't you think the parents would have to live with that for the rest of THEIR lives?

And again...it's not like it's a "pipe dream", or some fanciful fantasy...she's been trained...moreso than many others who have gone before her...and moreso than some people who do similar jobs for a living.

IF she succeeds...she may parlay her experience into a new business venture, or discover some new techniques that had not been considered. She may have her school/college paid for in the future by sponsors or supporters.

And is the risk THAT much greater than a kid playing football? Who is knowingly & willingly slamming his body into another kid's body game after game...and who may have only started playing 2 weeks prior (hint...that means little training).
Is the risk THAT much higher than going swimming in knowingly polluted water?

Her age is a non-issue...the only thing I can think she may not be prepared for is the isolation...though I don't know what all of her training consisted of. Maybe they threw her in a room for 6 weeks where she could only talk through a radio and had to prepare her own meals. I know the boy who just finished his trip...the only complaint he had was that he missed having someone around to hug.

By that same logic we do not need minimum age to drive or drink or vote or buy a gun... She needs some more seasoning to mature IMO.

You keep harping on the "whose standards" issue. I told you: my standards. But she is not my daughter so I guess I don't get a vote. The trouble is society has to ensure children make the right decisions. We have to protect them from a) themselves and 2) parents who can't properly protect her.

But by MY standards. I find it every bit as offensive for you to dismiss them as you do that that state is stepping in...

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

Actually...I would agree about the "minimum age" argument.

Why is there one? for driving, buying a gun, etc.?

But let's keep the standards the same. If someone has been taught/trained to drive for 5 years prior to getting their license...and that it can be proven the training was comprehensive enough, and the test/exam was complete enough...then sure...let a 12-year-old get a driver's license.

There is no minimum age to drinking, if you're at home with your parents...they can give you alcohol at any age.

And I'll use flying as an example (at least by US standards). In the US, you can get your pilot's license at the age of 16. You can solo at the age of 12 (legally), and you can start instruction with a logbook at any age (mine started when I was 8 years old). (I'll grant it's been a few years since I studied any of this, but I don't think it's changed).

Now...think about it this way... my log book starts at age 8...but I had been flying with my father ( a certified instructor) since I was only 2 weeks old. And he started actually teaching me things when I was old enough to comprehend. About the only thing I COULDN'T do until I was 8, was reach the pedals on the floor to work the rudder & the brakes.

When I was just under 5, we were taking a flight from Pittsfield, MA to NY (out near Albany). My dad gave me some instructions on which heading to follow, and went to sleep (took a nap). Now...granted...not the most responsible thing...but I had already had a couple years' training by then...so not the first time I had control of the plane. We had also made that trip many times before...so I knew it well. Anyway...it's only a couple hours for the flight...and he woke up...as I was making the turn for final approach to the runway. I had found the airport, turned the downwind, baseleg, and final, applied the flaps...my dad actually woke up because he felt me pull the power back as we turned for final. When he woke, he quickly realized where he was, and took the plane in for the landing.

By the time I was 8...I was ready to solo...except I had no "logged" hours yet. By the time I was 12...I was supposed to solo...but we moved 2 months before the scheduled date...and we didn't get back into flying enough to let me finish my license. I had taken the written exam though when I was only 16...and aced it.

Had I pursued the flying (and the only reason I didn't was financial)...there's an excellent chance I would've attempted some "world-trip", or "travel-adventure". Had some government nincompoop tried to interfere...it would've probably encourage me (and my family) to tell them to "F"-Off...and sent me on my way anyway.

Government needs to stay OUT of peoples' personal lives.

Given the circumstances, I agree with AGEsAces.

AGEsAces wrote:Actually...I would agree about the "minimum age" argument.

Why is there one? for driving, buying a gun, etc.?

But let's keep the standards the same. If someone has been taught/trained to drive for 5 years prior to getting their license...and that it can be proven the training was comprehensive enough, and the test/exam was complete enough...then sure...let a 12-year-old get a driver's license.

There is no minimum age to drinking, if you're at home with your parents...they can give you alcohol at any age.

And I'll use flying as an example (at least by US standards). In the US, you can get your pilot's license at the age of 16. You can solo at the age of 12 (legally), and you can start instruction with a logbook at any age (mine started when I was 8 years old). (I'll grant it's been a few years since I studied any of this, but I don't think it's changed).

Now...think about it this way... my log book starts at age 8...but I had been flying with my father ( a certified instructor) since I was only 2 weeks old. And he started actually teaching me things when I was old enough to comprehend. About the only thing I COULDN'T do until I was 8, was reach the pedals on the floor to work the rudder & the brakes.

When I was just under 5, we were taking a flight from Pittsfield, MA to NY (out near Albany). My dad gave me some instructions on which heading to follow, and went to sleep (took a nap). Now...granted...not the most responsible thing...but I had already had a couple years' training by then...so not the first time I had control of the plane. We had also made that trip many times before...so I knew it well. Anyway...it's only a couple hours for the flight...and he woke up...as I was making the turn for final approach to the runway. I had found the airport, turned the downwind, baseleg, and final, applied the flaps...my dad actually woke up because he felt me pull the power back as we turned for final. When he woke, he quickly realized where he was, and took the plane in for the landing.

By the time I was 8...I was ready to solo...except I had no "logged" hours yet. By the time I was 12...I was supposed to solo...but we moved 2 months before the scheduled date...and we didn't get back into flying enough to let me finish my license. I had taken the written exam though when I was only 16...and aced it.

Had I pursued the flying (and the only reason I didn't was financial)...there's an excellent chance I would've attempted some "world-trip", or "travel-adventure". Had some government nincompoop tried to interfere...it would've probably encourage me (and my family) to tell them to "F"-Off...and sent me on my way anyway.

Government needs to stay OUT of peoples' personal lives.

Are you kidding??? When you were 4 years old your dad took a nap, while you were piloting an aircraft? And you made the turn for final approach to the runway, found
the airport, turned the downwind, baseleg, and final, applied the flaps. All at he age of 4? While your dad was sleeping? I find that pretty hard to believe.

With all due respect AA, but your dad was an idiot for doing what you say he did. However, with the passage of time and your age at the time, I'd say you were a bit mistaken about the circumstances. At least I hope you were.

Bartron wrote:

Are you kidding??? When you were 4 years old your dad took a nap, while you were piloting an aircraft? And you made the turn for final approach to the runway, found
the airport, turned the downwind, baseleg, and final, applied the flaps. All at he age of 4? While your dad was sleeping? I find that pretty hard to believe.

And all that without feet reaching the rudder pedals... guess it was a slipping turn onto final, eh?

AMSTERDAM -- The mother of a 13-year-old girl opposes her daughter's plan to sail solo around the world.

Babs Muller told a local newspaper she thinks Laura Dekker, who wants to be the youngest circumnavigator, is "not yet grown up enough."

She said she kept quiet until now because Laura had threatened not to see her again if she stood in the way of the trip.

Laura's parents are divorced, and she lives with her father, Dick Dekker, who supports her ambition to set sail this year on the two-year voyage.

A court last week appointed a psychologist to report on her ability to cope with the lengthy isolation.

Muller had earlier told the child protection authorities that the trip was "scary," but that she was not opposed, said Mariska Woertman, a friend of the dad.

"She can sail like the devil, that's not the problem," Muller said. But Laura "is not yet grown up."

Muller's opposition is likely to weigh on the judge who must consent to the trip on the 26-foot (8-metre) Guppy.

Muller said she decided to speak out despite Laura's threat. "It breaks my heart that I may lose contact with her.

"But I would rather have a living daughter whom I do not see than a dead daughter."

Ahh, a little more truth puts some light on the subject.

I may have been 5 (or almost 5)...but my dad has told me I was 4.

And he's told the story so many times to people...that's where I get the details from...hearing him say it.

That said...it's still not about age...it's about experience.