Is it child abuse/negligence to allow a child (16 year old) to do something absurdly dangerous like solo sail around the world?

I do not think it is child abuse at all, I feel it is the exact opposite. To me this is the very best type of parenting, Abby will be a great success because of it. This will be the best education on facing fears and taking challenges head on that Abby Sunderland can get and I applaud her parents decision to allow and encourage Abby to take on this challenge of sailing around the world alone.

She will now have the opportunity to get back home, regroup herself, and try again. I feel the same about Jordan Romero who at 13 years old became the youngest to scale the death defying heights of Mount Everest (reuters.com/article/idUSTRE64L0TV20100522 1).. this kid now knows he has defeated the toughest the planet has to offer and has done it successfully. This was the greatest gift his parents could have given him.

All of life's challenges will seems trivial to him now as he grows into a man and begins his adult life. While other children are preparing for the challenges of Jordan is knowing already that he has taken the toughest of challenges and succeeded. Gh School will be a breeze, college easier, and he will forever be using his success with Everest as a sounding board for the rest of life's challenges.

Passing Algebra or Calculus in gh School and Micro-Biology and Organic Chemistry in College will pale in comparison to the challenges he faced on Everest. Abby said this "I've wanted to sail around the world for years and am definitely going to do it sometime. " That is the statement of a person who is chasing big dreams.

Abby also said this ""I'm definitely going to sail around the world again or really give it another try," That is the statement that will, if she does try again, that will secure her courage and cement her future as a person who does not back down from life's challenges but actually reaches for them with the knowledge that she not only can do it but will and will do so successfully. When asked about her age she said this "As for age, since when does age create gigantic waves and storms? ".. now that is awesome clarity of thought and without the ability given to her by her parents to chase this dream and the courage in her heart to meet this challenge she would not be the fearless adult she is about to become... that is GIFT and in no way abuse.(http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ic8vqxxd0J3n45mq0qVLjQdPcLFw 2)(http://soloround.blogspot.com/ 3) Abby Sunderland has been given a gift, her family showed by allowing and encouraging her to take this nautical challenge and try it that she can do anything and with success or failure comes character, comes intestinal fortitude, comes "can do" attitude , and Abby will certainly forge the iron of her adult self in the trials she faces as a child, teen, and young adult.

Her parents have allowed this forge to be of the best quality and the best "mettle" makes the best steel.. she and her parents are setting themselves up for real success. What is the exact opposite of child abuse? Whatever that is is what should be used to describe Laurence and Marianne Sunderland and their courageous daughter Abby Sunderland... "Wild Eyes" is the ships name, her parents began her in sailing at 6 months old (http://www.abbysunderland.com/ 4) and I am 100% for the decision of this family to engage in this type of education for and with their child.

I'm actually torn about this issue. When the news came out saying that Abby's lost, I kind of blamed the parents of course. She's a minor meaning she is still under the custody of her parents.

Yet a part of me admires her for being brave and acting strong compared to other teens. I admire her because even though what she like to do is dangerous, she still went for it. Not all people can take that risk just to achieve their goal.It seems that her goal was to be the youngest to ever sail around the world and it's her last chance now considering her age and there's someone who's older than a few months from her who did the same thing.

It's her dream, and she's pursuing that dream. But of course, the issue here is that she's a minor and parents should be protecting their child at that age. Even older, experienced sailors die in the sea.

A part of me is asking does her parents ever think about that? I'm not a parent yet but I can somehow feel that kind of responsibility towards my pets. I don't like my cats getting outside of the house because I don't want them to get killed in the streets.

I had pets before and I see pets dying out of being hit by a car or something that's why as much as I can, I protect my pets. PETS. What more to your own child?

Yes I know they're just supporting their child but aren't they even afraid of losing their child for the sake of that title? Come on, don't tell me it's not for the title because if she wants to sail the world, then why not wait for a little time til you get older and more knowledgeable before you reach for that goal? For now, I'm happy that she's okay and I still include her in my prayers that she'll somehow manage to pull it through.

I'll be one of the people who'll cheer for her victory but somehow, I still can't get over the fact that some parents would let their children do such dangerous stuff cause if I were a parent now of course I would support my child BUT not to the point that I will put him/her through such thing that could end his/her life. Everything has a right time & I think this isn't the right time for Abby to do that.

No. Look, parenting is important and not enough parents take the time to raise their kids, leaving it to nannies, friends, schools, etc. Parents that are engaged enough to understand the hobbies and desires of their children and then encourage them to pursue those interests should be celebrated. Let's worry more about our own children and focus on their needs and then, if we have additional time, try to serve our communities in a productive way.

No, not at all. Wildly irresponsible and an agenda to cash in on your child's talents for your own gain?Absolutely. When I heard about this, the first thing I thought was, "There is no way in bloody hell I would ever let my kid do that.

" ANYTHING can happen on the sea. There are 60 year old captains that have been on the sea all of their lives that die because the sea is so unpredictable. A 16 year old girl has no business out on the open ocean alone.

Her dad must be out of his mind.

I would say, no. If this teen was able to secure a boat and think about how she was going to do this sail, have the emergency equipment to be safe, etc, then she is VERY mature and thoughtful. Abuse/negligence assumes that you are harming a child.

This is not a parent harming a child.

I would say no, but it should come down to if the child / teen has the right training and maturity level to handle the situation at hand.

I will say it was not abuse, but poor judgement on the parents part. I will also say there are so many issues in this case that books could be written about it. To let a mature, experienced 16 year old sail around the world with all the best equipment including boat, electronics and safety equipment, I'll say no.

I will argue letting a rich teen sail around the world is safer for than giving them a $350,000 car. Look at how a lot of people treat kids nowadays. They can't drink until they are 21.

Every state adds more and more laws concerning what a teenager can and cannot do. And what have we got for it, we've put off a maturity level until kids don't see what they can do. I hate to think I had to grow up in this time.

I feel for the mature kids stuck in this Teflon world. However, letting them or encouraging them to race the age clock so they get notoriety is something different. You don't sail the Southern Oceans during the winter.It's not safe.

There was a reason why there were no other boats around her when she got in trouble. The smart ones wait until the summer. Her comment that Indian Ocean storms can happen at any time bothered me.

And still has people questioning why now? We know the answer was the age thing.In my view you teach kids to do something for themselves because they want to not so that other people go wow. I was turned loose upon bays and creeks when I was nine years old.

I was running a commercial boat into the ocean by the time I was 16. Yes, I faced a lot of dangers, but I learned many great lessons. The first being a sense of mortality, the second being a sense of accomplishment and strength.

I also learned limits and one of those big ones is weather and seasons. There is no invincibility against the strength of the ocean built of storm.

While it might seem absurd to allow a 16 year old to sail around the world alone, you can think of this in two ways. First, do we not allow them to do what they yearn to do and keep them "safe? " According to the news report I saw, her family stated she was a good, experienced sailor.

She had all of the things she needed to do to stay safe, to call for help, etc. She knew what she as up against when she left to go around the world. But she wanted to try. I don't believe that keeping children "safe" is always a good thing.

We don't want our children in the streets of L.A. at 2 am alone, but sailing around the world is probably safer. I personally think that those most outraged are thinking with their hearts, and not with their minds. If my 16 year old came to me and asked if she could go sailing around the world alone, no doubt my heart would fall into my stomach.

Oh, the things that could happen to my beautiful, intelligent, talented daughter. Then I would have to ask myself if she is prepared, capable, and has all she needs to stay safe, call for help, stay hydrated, fed, etc.On her journey. But I would let her to go if she met all those conditions (and more) and I would meet her on the other side of the world to take her back home.

I have a very simple answer that will probably not win any awards. Society puts a lot of trust and responsibility in parents ability to parent. Their ability to determine what their child can handle and should the line of "too dangerous" be drawn.

Often the parents' wisdom is determined by the outcome. Many people who are supportive of the girl and her parents might not be so adamant if she had died and tragically cut short a promising life before it barely began. Fortunately for us all, the parents were not put into a situation where they would question their judgment for the rest of their grieving years.

I suppose if it were a criminal activity, or one that is impossible to do safely (like drunk driving or huffing aerosol), it would be negligence or abuse. Since it is possible for a 16 year old to sail safely, I suppose this is something you leave up to the parents and hope for the best.

Some children seem to be born with a dream. Dusty Howell flew a plane by himself when he was 8. Jonathan Strickland was the youngest at 14 for soloing an aircraft across an international border and solo in a helicopter.

Zac Sunderland at age 16 successfully sailed solo around the world. Jessica Watson at age 17 circumnavigated the world, sailing into her home harbor in May, 2010. Another Aussie, Jesse Martin soloed non-stop around the world at age 18.

These intrepid young people are professional and prepared. Abby Sunderland ran into a foul-weather condition that would have cowed any veteran sailor. When her boat was spotted she reported her conditions in the best tradition of the seas.

She was physically OK, had food for 2 weeks and a heater going on-board. Not only do these explorers chase their dream, they also inspire others to pursue theirs. If my child had such a dream and the skill to chase it, my blessings would go with her.

It is without a doubt negligence to let the child sail around the world without any supervision to make sure she stayed safe. It would not have been that difficult to have a support boat a mile or so away as she sailed around the world. If she had an issue like she had the support team would have been there instead of everyone worrying about where she had ended up.

The ocean is a dangerous place, with crazy storms and pirates out there who might have been over joyed to find a 16 year old girl by herself!

It is good to try to develop courage in children so that they can be useful for the country in adverse situations but with out any reason provoking him to do some thing absurdly dangerous is wrong.

I still have mixed emotions on this issue. My first thought was what kind of person lets a 16 year old girl set off to sail the world alone. Then my next thought was what kind of person allows a 16 year old girl or boy set off alone on the ocean.

But then my analytical brain kicked in and I began to think of all the various other situations where a 16 year old is given so many freedoms. 1. We allow 16 year old individuals to commandeer an auto (very dangerous situation) with little or no training.2.In some states a 16 year old can legally opt to have sexual encounters as often as they wish with as many partners as they wish.

I'd say that's pretty hazardous when the majority fail to use any type of protection to prevent disease or pregnancy.(And in cultures, maybe even some US states the age is even younger than 16. Age can't always be the determining factor for deciding when an individual is ready to undertake particular tasks. I used age to set "milestone" events in my children's lives however maturity and responsibility played a large part in determining if the child was ready to participate in the milestones or if that child needed to wait.

If the parents of that young girl had been negligent in providing for her in previous years or in protecting her in previous years or if they had forced her out to sea then perhaps the situation could be viewed differently.

It appears that it is my turn to give the unpopular opinion. ^_~ In my opinion it is not abuse, however it is clearly negligence. If a 16 year old is not legally considered an adult, then the parents need to act in a manner that considers the safety of the child.

The action taken was very dangerous at best, and it was very fortunate that the she did not die.

Maybe. How dare parents allow their well trained daughter/son do something they have dreamed about doing their entire lives. How dare we have gymnastics in the Olympics where young girls go off and spend years living with their personal training and his/her family.

How dare we allow children to grow up with the goal of ever reaching for their dreams or believing in themselves. Children should be keep in the house away from other people, away from TV and other things that can hurt them or encourage them. They shouldn't be taught to dream or plan for their future.

They need to told what to do and expect and nothing more. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Isn't it funny how ever time a young person tries something and fails we ask this kind of question? A few years ago a young boy wanted to be the first teen to fly solo across the U.S. but was killed in an accident upon route.

Other youngsters have tried and failed at one thing or other and we, as a people, start debating if its abuse to allow them to try. Maybe we should all give up trying. Driving a car might kill you.

The drugs the doctors prescribe to you may have side effects that could cause more harm them good. Personally I applaud these parents and kids for having the drive, determination and will to set out to do what others only dream about. Had she actually made this trip would this kind of question still be asked?

I absolutely think that it is negligence to allow a 16-year old to sail solo around the world, particularly when she is facing harsh winter storms in part of the world. At 16 years old, she is still a child, and it is a parent's responsibility to take care of her, not allow her to face life-threatening dangers. Even if it was her choice, she is still a child.In fact, in most states, a 16 year old is legally too young to get married, let alone face 30 foot waves.

While the point could be arguable if the parents had gone with her; sailing solo is ridiculous. If she were 18, they would not have had a choice, but 16 is still a child. I think their dreams of setting a world record has gotten in the way of actually protecting their child.

If the person has demonstrated the skills needed to try the task then there is no reason to keep them from trying. If every explorer was stopped because they might have problems then we would still be in the cave. So my answer is no.

Thre parents had tested her skills beffore allowing the trip. Her survival is a testament to those skills. I would ask some other questions.

What was the average age when young adults struck out on their own 100 years age? Name some other explorers and adventure seekers who started in their teens.

Nor negligence. On the contrary, it can be viewed as parent's support to their child's effort to become famous and to do something adventurous. Although I agree that it is dangerous (and what's not?

), but it cannot be condemned on any ground. Had not teenagers done more dangerous jobs in history (fighting wars, risking their lives to rescue someone and many such heroic things) that made them famous.It is in the modern era that we think a 16 years old as a child, but we should not forget that even a 100 years ago, they were treated as grown ups and did hard labour to earn their bread (and even now, in many poor countries, children who are not even 10 years old, are toiling hard to earn their livelihood). Still now, in many nations, soldiers are recruited at 15 years of age and they lay their lives defending their countries or fighting terrorism.

Can it be seen at child abuse or negligence then? Certainly not. We should neither forget that many people became world champions at this age.

About the risk, every job has risk. If you are a cricketer or footballer, you can be badly hit by a ball or suffer other injuries which can lead to permanent disability or even death (such accidents have really happened). A swimmer can sink, a firefigher can burn to death, a boxer of martial artist can die in arena, a person working in chemical processing plants or tannery or cement factories can suffer from occupational diseases, someone in a nuclear plant can develop cancer in the long run and even a clerk who sits in an office the whole day, runs the risk of cardiac diseases or obesity due to phsical inactivity.

So, risk or danger is there in every sphere of life and that is what makes life charming, thrilling and interesting. And then there is the old proven proverb "No Risk, No Gain! " Hadn't there been any risk or danger, you'll soon be bored of life.

Talking about child abuse, it is no way that.No body is assaulting the child directly or indirectly; physically, emotionally or otherwise. Parents are just letting their child honour his own decision and helping him become a man. It is another way of encouraging their child to be brave and choose his own way of life.So, it is just opposite to negligence.

I support it from the bottom of my heart. Every child does not necessarily become a book-worm or do a white collar job and live a long, uninteresting, worthless life. Instead, he can choose his own destiny and be known for a short but brave life.

That's the spirit. Hat's off. Opinions may differ although.

Thanks.

Jasoncalacanis The teen comes from a family of sailors. The teen had a backup plan if something went wrong. Well, even adult skilled sailors have things go wrong, and they use their backup plans.

Sounds like she did everything right - attempt something her brother (similar circumstances) completed, and when it wasn't going to work, she used her backup plan. Would you fault a 24 year old for needing help if the mast broke on them? I can't help but think of Ernest Shackleton (see the documentary) who attempted finding the south pole.

He failed, got his boat stuck in the ice, ended up having to eat some of his sled dogs to keep the crew alive, and is lauded a hero. He had no backup plan. Why is he a hero and she an abused child?

It's less dangerous than most other things teenagers do nowadays. This particular sixteen year-old knows more about sailing a boat than others know about cars - changing the oil, etc. Most cannot negotiate traffic unlike this lady who can negotiate so much more.

I do not think that letting your teen sail around the world, but it is negligence. The reason being, at 16 you are still in high school. Where I am from , if a child misses so many days of school then they send a truancy officer to your home and the parent will get arrested.

If something happens the parents are left responsible.

If the child is sufficiently skilled and the parents are confident, they should encourage him to go for it. The question is, why did I get a child services report for letting my 5 and 7 year olds walk a block to a duckpond :(.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.