Is Abby Sutherland [sic] Just A Child Lost At Sea?

Photo by hiperkarma

Leigh Shulman looks during a little of a vitriol surrounding a Abby Sunderland debate, as well as wonders what summary we should be passing upon to our kids.

I glance over a couple of relatives summary boards out there. Sometimes to ask a occasional square of advice. Other times, we drop in to see whats what with a latest discussion. we logged upon yesterday to see a following raging about Abby Sunderland.

Who is Abby, we may be wondering? Lets listen to from a summary boards.

Girl who failed to cruise around a universe during 16. shes formulation upon writing a book as well as is having lots of fun upon her adventure, getting a ride home from a little droll french guys

Then come a criticisms:

Who a hell lets their sixteen year aged daughter cruise across a sea by herself?

Am we a usually a single which finds it freaky which Abby is still during slightest a week divided from home, getting rides upon boats full of men?

Isnt it illegal to let a 16yo cruise a universe alone? Like kid neglect or endangerment?

So nobody though me is bothered by a actuality which Abby a soldier wasnt in propagandize this whole time?

Some undisguised anger:

I seriously cant believe which Australian taxation payers will compensate for Abbys rescue. we would be SO pissed!!!

i am iffy about abby being found alive means those dumbass will usually do it again

Abby Sutherland [sic] shouldve been left out there longer they didnt sense shit

And afterwards of course, my favorite:

I consider about Abby each hour since she sent her trouble beacon signals out as well as cry like a little fucking faggot. Her relatives have been dopes, though shes a kid mislaid during sea.

Photo by Christian Haugen

To be fair, which final a single is a bit of an inside joke, as well as there were a couple of voices of await among a negativity, though ultimately, a overwhelming tone we listen to from relatives is a single of fear.

Make sure we do things a normal way. Dont attempt something big, because we competence die. Be fearful of men. Fear of disaster Theres a focus upon whats wrong, what cant as well as shouldnt be finished as well as then, of course, anger as well as punishment when we stray from those normal boundaries.

This is because we adore Lenore Skenazy.

Lenore Skenazy, a NY columnist who blogs about parenting upon her Free Range Kids website, perceived identical attacks when in 2008 she wrote about permitting her afterwards 9-year-old son to take a transport home alone.

Recently, she suggested relatives take their immature children seven years as well as comparison as well as leave them in a play ground to play alone. More uproar as well as outrage. Lenores exercise hurdles parents. It forces them to face their own demons. Kids dont know to be fearful of being alone in a park. They dont worry about being kidnapped or weird group which may touch them droll or being murdered by a pointless stranger. Those have been parental concerns.

Children sense their fears from their parents.

Is Abby An Abject Failure?

In my opinion, no. Did she succeed during her original goal? No, though she is peaceful to try again. Her relatives would be peaceful to await her again, even though it seems they now have a huge weight of paying a check for her rescue. And really, how many of us would know what to do upon a broken vessel in a middle of a inclement ocean? That alone shows amazing ingenuity as well as knowledge.

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Still, my heart sank when we heard of her disappearance, because we knew rught divided fingers would point saying See, she never should have tried.

And suddenly, a accomplishments of Jessica Watson, who recently finished her solo trip, or Abbys comparison brother who boated his approach around a world, would disappear. For many, their complete goals wash divided in a face of a single strong failure.

But disaster is a normal part of life, as well as people who actually go out as well as do things will not succeed 100% of a time. They will, however, accomplish their goals a little of a time. Those who never try, succeed zero percent of a time.

What Message Will We Gift Our Children?

Lila is six. Shes not asking me to outfit a vessel as well as send her out upon a Indian Ocean in winter storms. Nor is she asking to detour Central Park upon her own with usually a transport map as well as a little shift to have calls. But a single day she will wish to strike out upon her own.

When which time arrives, we will no longer have a choice. When which time arrives, will we have provided her a tools she needs to explore this expansive, exciting, erotically appealing as well as yes, sometimes deadly, universe upon her own?

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Now, it seems, there will be a reality show based upon a Sunderlands. we admit, my heart took an additional drop as well as dive when we heard that.

Does this shift a approach we see Abbys ability to tarry upon her own? Does this unexpected have her relatives motives suspect? Share your thoughts below.