So if I understand the article I read this morning correctly, there is a huge debate raging over this family from California that decided to take their young children on a sailboat trip from Mexico to New Zealand and half way through needed to be rescued. It was supposed to be a month long trip and two weeks in, their one year old daughter fell ill and their boat lost steering capability. They were rescued successfully and are now en route on a Navy ship back to San Diego. The big debate is not over their trip itself, its about their decision to make the trip with their two children ages 1 and 3. Many, from what I hear, feel that it was completely irresponsible of the parents to take children that young on such a long and potentially dangerous and deadly trip across the Pacific. Others feel that they did the right thing by following their passions. Well, I wouldn't be writing this right now if I didn't have an opinion myself. I personally feel that in following their passion of making a cross ocean trip with their family, toddlers in tow, they did the right thing. It seems like they were as prepared as they could be and luck just didn't go their way in the end. So be it. Many people are rescued for far stupider things from the ocean and on dry land. The fact that they had a 1 and 3 year old with them does not bother me at all. Would I make the trip under similar circumstances? If I felt that I was prepared and my wife was fully supportive of the trip then yes, I would do the same thing. I don't feel there is anything wrong with what the Kaufman family did. Why do I teach my son at the age of two how to use a sharp bread knife or let him climb a ladder or sit him on top of my six foot fence so that he can get a better view of the world? Because I don't feel the need to shelter him from every possible accident that could happen. Do I let him use the bread knife alone without help? No that would be stupid just as letting a 3 year old climb the rigging of sailboat without a life vest would be stupid. And I am sure the Kaufman's did not let their 3 year old climb the rigging at all. The fact is, we all have to take risks in this world and if we teach our children how to take those risks early on, with a backup plan in place, then they will be better off in the long run. So the trip didn't work out so well for the Kaufman's. That does not give the rest of the United States the right to jump on their backs for taking their children with them on the trip. How many parents neglect their children at home on dry land and do not get any attention at all from the media? How many parents beat their children at home and don't get the same kind of media attention? To me, it is asinine that we are making such a big deal out of this whole thing. The Kaufman's made a decision, and you know what, if they had made it successfully to New Zealand, we probably would not have heard a damn thing about them. Why? Because they would have been successful, that's why. They are safe and alive, and its now time to move on. I am sure they learned a lot from the trip and actually had a good time the first two weeks. Life has its ups and its downs and they unfortunately are now dealing with one of those down times except for the fact that they know they are safe and alive. The downside? Dealing with us on the mainland of the United States. I wish them good luck in navigating the much more dangerous waters of modern media.
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