14 year old Dutch girl likely to remain a ward of court. No record-breaking solo sailing trip

[depakid]

around the world.

The Dutch child protection authorities have asked the court to extend the girl's status, which was set to end on 1 July, shortly after which Laura wanted to begin her attempt. A court in the town of Middelburg will give its ruling on 14 June.

17 is too old
In order to become the youngest yachtswoman to sail around the world alone, the New Zealand-born Dutch girl has to embark on her attempt in the fourth quarter of this year at the latest. This will enable Laura, known as "the girl sailor", to complete her voyage before she turns 17. Australian Jessica Watson, who completed her trip in Sydney three days before her 17th birthday, is currently seen as the reigning recordholder. Another attempt, by 16-year old US sailor Abby Sunderland, was broken off in April.

Last year the court blocked Laura, saying that she needed more sea sailing experience, a first-aid diploma and to learn how to deal with sleep deprivation. She should also make sure that she continues her education while at sea. Laura said she wanted to study online while sailing.

Father says Go girl
Laura's father supports Laura in her ambitions, but her mother has said she is having second thoughts about the risky journey. Laura's parents are separated and she lives with her father, who is an accomplished yachtsman himself.

More: http://www.rnw.nl/english/bulletin/record-solo-sailing-trip-teenage-girl-still-ruled-out

[droidamus2]

1. at some point...

At some point they are going to have to do away with the 'youngest to sail around the world record'.I have no problem with young people trying difficult and yes possibly dangerous things like sailing around the world solo but adding in the 'youngest' thing means it is going to be younger and younger people trying it. At some point even I have to admit it will get a little ridiculous. I know nothing about sailing but just off the top of my and what I have heard is 16 to young? Apparently not as a number of 16-17 year olds have accomplished it. Is 14 too young? Again I don't know but I think you would definitely be pushing the age limit thing and any younger than that as I said just gets ridiculous.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

2. I agree...

It sets a standard for parents to push their kids to daredevil heights the same way they push them into beauty pageants.

[customerserviceguy]

4. Thanks

You've provided me with a new argument with which to oppose the parent-sanctioned version of "Jackass".

Even those stupid people who believe that John and Patsy Ramsey didn't have anything to do with Jon Benet's death can't argue with my contention that teaching her to shake her ass like a street prostitute at least made her a target to someone outside the family who might have done it.

[CoffeeCat]

10. Have you seen the show...

"Toddlers and Tiaras"?

Every week, it's a new crop of three-year olds who are paraded on stage
in skimpy costumes and more make-up than Tammy Faye Baker wore. The parents
are the absolute worst.

It really is a show about child abuse.

The first minute of this clip shows how they tart up these little girls. So sad.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZB6CR9I5wao

[customerserviceguy]

15. Nope, and it would break my heart to watch it

True, the vast majority of them don't end up murdered, but they all learn from a very early age that what you look like is more important than who you are. It's tragic, and I'd love to see an end put to it.

[tango-tee]

6. Yes, exactly.

The kids pull the weight and the parents become heroes by proxy, if only in their own minds and to satisfy their buried ambitions. The kids are pushed to do what the parents had never been capable of doing themselves... whether winning the kiddie beauty pageant or ice skating contest or - in this case - sailing the high seas. I think it may have little to do with the child, but more with the parents' unfulfilled hopes and dreams as far as their own lives are concerned. And that's where the kid comes in, being pushed to accomplish what Mom and Dad hadn't been able to do.

[jobycom]

3. So far I'm thinking about it on a case-by-case basis. I really don't think

that it's going to affect a significant enough number of people to be much of an issue for most people, and those it is an issue for--maybe one in a billion people--can be judged on individual merits.

I like the idea of easing off a lot of age restrictions in this country (not that all of this relates to this country alone). Our concept of age of consent, drinking age, driving age, etc, is ridiculous and reactionary, and in general I'm all for people in their teens doing things to shake people's views of age. We in America consider people "children" who just a century or two ago would have been adults running their own businesses and even deciding world events. We delay adulthood too long, then wonder why people aren't automatically responsible adults at the age of 21. When we don't allow our "children" to experiment, grow, take responsibility, and sometimes reach over their head and fail, we don't allow them to become adults. Age isn't the primary factor in being responsible, experience is. So I like to see events like this stretching people's preconceptions.

In the case of the lost 16 year old, I think she proved herself more by failing than by succeeding. She would have been a minor curiosity story if she had made it, but having been lost in a storm, and having survived the storm after becoming such a story, she demonstrated she could handle an emergency a lot of "adults" couldn't have, and that she didn't just steer a boat across a still ocean.

On the other hand, I'm sure there are parents who would push unwilling or easily impressionable kids to stunts they aren't ready for and don't really want, just for their own personal glory, and there are parents not really responsible enough to be objective when their kid pushes for something like this. So I applaud the Dutch court for stepping in and evaluating the situation. She doesn't sound ready, and I'm glad someone is able to judge that when her parents seem unable to (I know no more about sailing than you, I'm just responding to the story's points about her lack of certain skills).

Just my thoughts.

[Withywindle]

5. +10,000.

Thank you for the balanced sanity. Very well said.

[tinrobot]

7. Youngest to summit Everest is another one

[jgraz]

8. Honestly, if these rich assholes want to push their idiot children to risk their lives...

part of me says, "be quiet and let Mt. Darwin work his magic."

[depakid]

14. No one deserves at age 13 to be thrust into the death zone on 8,000 metre peaks

Plenty of cool mountains around -and plenty of cool things to learn and see and do among various mountains in North America.

Most of which my bet would be that Jordan Romero has never really had a fair go with -much less learned to really enjoy or appreciate.

[adigal]

9. My 7 year old niece, who has sailed a boat in the bathtub, making an attempt

to sail around the world this month!!

Go, Skipper!!! (snark off)

[rucky]

11. If Baby Moses could make it down the Nile okay...

I don't see the problem here.

[depakid]

12. Ouch...

[NNN0LHI]

13. I think this is why so many Americans dress their kids in camouflage clothing

They hope the kid wanders into the woods and can't be found.

Don