Should Abby Sunderland's parents face charges?
@MysticTomatoes (1053)
United States
June 11, 2010 11:10am CST
Abby Sunderland, the 16 year old child who decided to sail solo around the world, has been found off the coast of Australia. Everyone thought she was dead and had died at sea. I thought she was too.
I admire the kid for trying to accomplish this, but WTF were the parents thinking? She's 16 years old! Sixteen! She was in a small boat trying to sail around the world on her own. Alone. At sixteen. Why did the parents go along with this?
Either they're incredibly gullible or they're just insane. My parents wouldn't let me cross the street without parental supervision, let alone let me sail around the world alone. We had babysitters until I was 16 and when I was allowed to go out, I had to call home every few hours or I'd lose my privileges. But this kid's parents let her set sail on her own in a boat in the middle of the ocean. Insane.
My DD is 2. There's no way in heck I'd let her try that before she was over the age of 18 and could decide that on her own.
What do you think? Should the parents be charged? Would you let your kid sail around the world to set a record?
4 responses
@wiggles18 (2506)
• Canada
11 Jun 10
I think it is good that her parents are supporting enough to let her do such a thing, instead of suppressing her actions.
1 person likes this
@MysticTomatoes (1053)
• United States
11 Jun 10
There's a HUGE difference between being supportive and being STUPID. Being stupid is letting your CHILD sail around the world alone in a rinky dinky boat.
There are other ways for a parent not to suppress a child's actions. Support them with their school work and dreams and activities. You don't send your child off into the sunset on a boat and hope for the best.
@wiggles18 (2506)
• Canada
11 Jun 10
First of all, she is only a child if you treat her like a child. If you treat your child like a baby all of their life, they will turn out to be a baby, not being able to look after themselves. But, on the contrary, if you treat them as a mature being, they will be able to accomplish anything they put their mind to. The ancient Spartans were aware of this, and that is why they trained their children as soldiers from the age of seven. So, it is not "stupid", what is stupid is treating your child like a baby, so that they will grow up to be afraid of everything in life.
1 person likes this
@MysticTomatoes (1053)
• United States
11 Jun 10
First of all, she is only a child if you treat her like a child.
Sorry. She's still a child. In the eyes of the law, she's under age. A sixteen year old has NO business being out in the middle of the ocean bobbing up and down in a boat alone.
If you treat your child like a baby all of their life, they will turn out to be a baby, not being able to look after themselves.
I agree. Again, there is a HUGE difference between babying and being reclkessly stupid like this child's parents are.
But, on the contrary, if you treat them as a mature being, they will be able to accomplish anything they put their mind to.
Agreed.
The ancient Spartans were aware of this, and that is why they trained their children as soldiers from the age of seven. So, it is not "stupid", what is stupid is treating your child like a baby, so that they will grow up to be afraid of everything in life
I don't treat my child like a baby. I'm very strict with her and I have no qualms in admitting to that, however no parent in their right mind should allow their child to board a boat ALONE just so she can break some world record. After she turns 18, she can do as she pleases, but until then, no.
@Beautyfactor (1512)
•
11 Jun 10
Charge them with what?
I know we have to do everything we can to protect our children and I am sure the parents believe that she is an accomplished and very well rounded girl otherwise they would have never have agreed to it in the first place.
I understand what you mean, but supporting her is probably the best thing they could have done. It is all well and good for us to be judgemental, but she is probably a very mature sixteen year old and it was her and her parents call to make.
1 person likes this
@MysticTomatoes (1053)
• United States
11 Jun 10
Endangerment? Child abuse? Neglect? A child at sixteen isn't an adult. They can't make adult decisions without first being emancipated from their parents. As far as I know, this kid was sill legally a minor.
The best thing they could have done was said NO. Parents these days won't say no anymore because some psychologist who needs a head exam himself said it damages our child's ego. Bull. It keeps our children safe and sets boundaries and limits - two things which most kids lack these days.
I'm strict with my 2 year old. I'll be the first to admit it. She knows what she can and can't do. She knows not to touch daddy's desk or bother the dog while she sleeps. She knows because we took time to PARENT her to keep her safe. If we didn't, she could pull my husband's laptop off the desk and hurt herself or scare the dog and get snapped at.
@cicisnana (772)
• United States
11 Jun 10
I too admire the girl, but she should not have been allowed to go alone. If it were my child I would not have allowed her to go at all, but for parents who would allow it, you would think they would have at least made her have someone with her. I don't know about her parents being charged, but yes, I guess they should with some sort of endangerment.
1 person likes this
@MysticTomatoes (1053)
• United States
11 Jun 10
I don't know if there would actually be a case here or not, but I've seen worse cases. Parents who didn't dress their child in a warm winter coat being brought up on abuse because the child said he was cold, even though he was dressed appropriately. I can see it if the kid is in board shorts and a tanktop, but this kid was dressed up for snow trekking in the Canadian outback, and his mama still got charged bc he didn't have a coat and the teacher reported him.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
24 Jun 10
Though I don't believe that it would be a decision that I would be entirely comfortable with, I also think I would have a difficult time telling my daughter that there was no way that I would allow her to try to accomplish one of her dreams.
That said, I don't think that her parents should be charged for what happened to her. She is getting to the age of rebellion and having given her their support, I think Abby's parents did the best thing that they could for their daughter.
