A Sailing Problem-Kids and Lifejackets
 

Today we went out in fairly light cool breezes with just the main.
We're trying to get Thomas used to the boat and so far it's going
great. He seems to really enjoy himself on deck, though we must watch
his exposure to the sun. His balance is really amazing...perhaps this
is something toddlers can do well, but my best friend's two year old
has a hard time on deck compared to Thomas. Thomas also automatically
seems to understand the one hand for the boat-one hand for yourself
system as he makes his way around. It's great fun to watch!
But today he put up the biggest fuss of all time when we put his
lifejacket on and he kept taking it off. It finally got to the point
where we just put a Stearns belt on him, but that's not the right PFD
for a toddler. He also wears a harness so he can't fall off the boat.
We all wore vests and that was working up until today. He really has
fun on the boat...but hates the PFD, though it fits him properly.
Suzanne thought it might just be too warm and he's aware of such things
now.
We obviously need to get this working right before we take weekend
trips with him.

Ideas from the "sailing with kids" camp are welcome!



RB
35s5
NY

A Sailing Problem-Kids and Lifejackets
 

I've seen pictures of you sailing... you don't wear a life jacket at all
times. I do.... despite the fact I'm ten times a better swimmer than you
could hope to ever be. That being said... kids copy what they see. Get him a
comfortable vest and make sure he puts it on at the same time you do... upon
boarding any boat.

CM

"Capt. Rob" wrote in message
oups.com...
Today we went out in fairly light cool breezes with just the main.
We're trying to get Thomas used to the boat and so far it's going
great. He seems to really enjoy himself on deck, though we must watch
his exposure to the sun. His balance is really amazing...perhaps this
is something toddlers can do well, but my best friend's two year old
has a hard time on deck compared to Thomas. Thomas also automatically
seems to understand the one hand for the boat-one hand for yourself
system as he makes his way around. It's great fun to watch!
But today he put up the biggest fuss of all time when we put his
lifejacket on and he kept taking it off. It finally got to the point
where we just put a Stearns belt on him, but that's not the right PFD
for a toddler. He also wears a harness so he can't fall off the boat.
We all wore vests and that was working up until today. He really has
fun on the boat...but hates the PFD, though it fits him properly.
Suzanne thought it might just be too warm and he's aware of such things
now.
We obviously need to get this working right before we take weekend
trips with him.

Ideas from the "sailing with kids" camp are welcome!



RB
35s5
NY

A Sailing Problem-Kids and Lifejackets
 

OzOne wrote in message
So on a calm, beautiful sunny day, you put a jacket on?

Don't tell porkies CM..you'll never get to heaven.

If kids will be aboard... Yes! I've just never considered it a big deal. I
once confronted my friend who was having a hell of a time trying to convince
his 3 year old son to put on a life jacket.... yet he, himself wasn't
wearing one. I pointed it out to him that he never wore his life jacket
unless ordered... why expect different from his children?
Oddly enough once he started putting on his own life jacket... both his
young sons donned theirs without prompting. Lead by example.

I'm not a life jacket Nazi aboard.... I leave it to an adult's own comfort
level during coastal sails in fair weather. However I do not allow even the
most experienced of the children that sail on my boat to go on deck without
a lifejacket... even in fine weather. They can doff the vests if they remain
in the cockpit.

Heaven? I'm there now... upon my death, all scientific indicators point to
my reincarnation as fertilizer.

BTW Oz... what were your rules regarding safety aboard with your children
when they were pre-school and sailing with you?

CM

A Sailing Problem-Kids and Lifejackets
 

My other advice is go to the store and let Thomas pick out a PFD HE
likes. Maybe
Spiderman or Spongebob or something will make him WANT to wear the
jacket...
even around the house.


Better advise....and we're trying this now, making a game of wearing
the jacket. We also wear them of course with the hope he'll WANT to
wear one.
Thomas also tries to play with all of the controls, going for the wheel
(he knows what it does!), lines and he was eager to help me crank up
the mainsail...he's quite a guy!


RB
35s5
NY

A Sailing Problem-Kids and Lifejackets
 

BTW Oz... what were your rules regarding safety aboard with your children
when they were pre-school and sailing with you?



OzOne wrote:
Same.
Once out of the cockpit in fair weather, PFD's.
Foul weather PFD in the cockpit
Real bad stuff...cabin full stop.
Night, PFD and harness no matter what.


Those are good rules.
One of the things that kids have to learn (and the sooner
the better) is that rules are rules... doesn't matter
whether you like it. Failure to teach this leads to misery
for both parents & kids.

DSK

A Sailing Problem-Kids and Lifejackets
 

"Capt" Rob wrote:
... We're trying to get Thomas used to the boat....
But today he put up the biggest fuss of all time when we put his
lifejacket on and he kept taking it off.

In other words, you're letting him be stupid & spoiled, just
like you.

.... It finally got to the point
where we just put a Stearns belt on him, but that's not the right PFD
for a toddler. He also wears a harness so he can't fall off the boat.
We all wore vests and that was working up until today. He really has
fun on the boat...but hates the PFD, though it fits him properly.
Suzanne thought it might just be too warm and he's aware of such things
now.
We obviously need to get this working right before we take weekend
trips with him.


He wears it. Period. If he takes it off or makes a fuss,
then put him in time out if you can't paddle his butt. Most
parents can't nowadays, having been raised poorly themselves.

Putting a float belt on is the worst possible choice, that
would drown a child more quickly than just floating free would.



"silverback" wrote:
I've seen pictures of you sailing... you don't wear a life jacket at all
times. I do.... despite the fact I'm ten times a better swimmer than you
could hope to ever be.

That's a stupid thing to say when you really don't know how
good a swimmer Boobsie is (although evidence suggests he is
not).


... That being said... kids copy what they see. Get him a
comfortable vest and make sure he puts it on at the same time you do... upon
boarding any boat.


Guy Aerts wrote:
Poor advice. The vest goes on before they set foot on the dock. Docks are
perhaps a greater hazard to little kids than a boat.

Bingo. Having rescued a kid from under a dock, I can state
for sure that it's a nightmare scenario.


... There are no rails or
lifelines, and someone carrying a cooler or sailbag can turn to look at
something and knock a toddler off a dock without even realizing it.

Which isn't unlikely, and it's even more likely for little
kids to trip over a cleat or line, or lean over just a bit
too far looking at something, or just plain fall (hey it
happens to the everyone once in a while).

.... If the kid
goes off the dock and comes up under it, you've got a serious situation all of a
sudden. How fast can you find them when they are jammed up between some blocks
of styrofoam under water?

My other advice is go to the store and let Thomas pick out a PFD HE likes. Maybe
Spiderman or Spongebob or something will make him WANT to wear the jacket...
even around the house.


Yes. Make a game out of wearing it, reward him for wearing
so he'll get to like it... but don't let a lack of parental
spine keep the kid from being protected. And don't make the
mistake of assuming that nothing can go wrong because he's
wearing a life jacket. It is quite possible to drown while
wearing one (or have some other harmful accident).

In many states now (and probably soon to be universal)
children must be wearing life jackets any time they are
aboard any boat, unless they are inside the boat's cabin.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

A Sailing Problem-Kids and Lifejackets
 

Put the PFD on Thomas and tell him what a good time you're going to have
out there in the cockpit..if he squawks about the PFD say "ohoh, time to
go below" and take off the PFD and place him below....if he wants back
up put the PFD back on and say more about the fun in the cockpit...soon
as he squawks, repeat the catch phrase "ohoh, time to go below" and take
him there sans PFD...repeat this for as long as it takes...he is at an
excellent age to begin using Love and Logic techniques...if you start
now, you will never have to argue about disciplinary actions...when you
say the catch phrase, amke sure you use a light or matter-of-fact voice
and not a stern grumpy sound...you don't want to appear angry or upset,

A Sailing Problem-Kids and Lifejackets
 

OzOne wrote:
On Tue, 13 Jun 2006 07:51:37 -0400, katy
scribbled thusly:

Put the PFD on Thomas and tell him what a good time you're going to have
out there in the cockpit..if he squawks about the PFD say "ohoh, time to
go below" and take off the PFD and place him below....if he wants back
up put the PFD back on and say more about the fun in the cockpit...soon
as he squawks, repeat the catch phrase "ohoh, time to go below" and take
him there sans PFD...repeat this for as long as it takes...he is at an
excellent age to begin using Love and Logic techniques...if you start
now, you will never have to argue about disciplinary actions...when you
say the catch phrase, amke sure you use a light or matter-of-fact voice
and not a stern grumpy sound...you don't want to appear angry or upset,

Woof!


Oz1...of the 3 twins.

I welcome you to crackerbox palace,We've been expecting you.

Consequential learning works well on children....discussing and
explaining to a two year old is futile, useless, and a waste of
energy...and dangerous....better to learn cause and effect early than
later on or never (which seems to be the case with many children these
days if the school system is any indicator)....

A Sailing Problem-Kids and Lifejackets
 

If he takes it off or makes a fuss,
then put him in time out if you can't paddle his butt.



"Capt" Rob wrote:
I'll let Doug's idiotic statement, suggested for a 21 month old, stand
as evidence of his parental skills.

Well, I'm not a parent. Never wanted to be.

Which is a shame, because the world needs more people like
me and far less like you.

Of course you cannot benefit from my advice, because you're
too stupid and too spoiled. I didn't expect you to, partly
because I'm not convinced you have either a real boat or a
real child, since the only thing you have proven is that
you're a pathological liar.

DSK

A Sailing Problem-Kids and Lifejackets
 

What about those swimming classes? Kids wear a life jacket in them and he
should be used to one by now and know what it does.

Amen!