Are we letting our children down?

[Nostrodamus]

So we have been in France for a good while now.

One thing we have noticed everywhere we have been is that very young children are always on the water in every conceivable type of boat.

They are given sailing lessons almost before they can walk and it appears to be part of the school curriculum.

They are always out there doing it and often with just one instructor. (Health and safety only applies to the UK and is ignored in France).

It is fantastic to see the kids out there and they all appear to love it. I even saw a 10 year old bring a 30 odd foot yacht into the marina better than most adults.

Why didn’t I see the same in the UK and are we letting our kids down?

 

[Babylon]

Health and safety only applies to the UK and is ignored in France.

They also teach their kids to make laws for other people but ignore them themselves!

 

[ripvan1]

the french have always been so with kids and sailing. i remember pulling into camaret once for a rest as it was blowing a bit and sat, watched and learnt how to warp off a pontoon under sail. it was a bunch of 10ish yr olds being instructed by senior pupil and teacher. think of hse getting hold of that.

 

[AliM]

We were in Denmark a few years ago on a cold April Saturday, with a F6 blowing. There was a fleet of about 30 oppies out, crewed by 8-10 year-olds in drysuits, with 2 or 3 ribs patrolling. We were horrified to see children in the water with the ribs just sitting there, not responding. The kids were screaming. Then another child jumped into the water and we realised the screaming was actually laughing. They were doing MOB practice, and very proficient they were too. We saw them later when they came ashore, chattering happily, and talked to a few of the parents. They breed and train good sailors there, and sailing is not perceived to be only for the rich!

 

[Victoria Sponge]

A couple I met from the UK have a son aged 12 who's a good sailor. On a recent holiday in Turkey the kid was bringing the boat into a restaurant mooring to join the rest of the flotilla. The guy from the lead crew bellowed at them to "remove that kid from the helm, now"

The couple left the "kid" where he was and he expertly brought the boat into the mooring, with no help whatsoever!

 

[Csail]

Not read all the posts but my 6 yr old did pb1 and now learning to sail.
On a similar note, out in the alps when he was 5 i had to buy new skiis to keep up with him. Most recent is we bought him a diddy play boat and he managed a waterfall and rapids that i wouldn't do.

 

[Signed Out]

Football and boating seemingly aren't mutually exclusive there. And apparently they're proud of something they're actually good at, whilst the common perception here of something we're also good it, is that it's not suitable for real men and boys. It certainly isn't "sport" in the UK if the press and broadcast media are anything to go by.

 

[Nostrodamus]

It is not just that they are all learning to sail.
They are getting exercise, fresh air and they are all laughing.
It is really wonderful to see.
We ARE letting our children down.

 

[RichardS]

They also teach their kids to make laws for other people but ignore them themselves!

It's a difficult balance to strike.

Overall the UK has the best H & S record in Europe so we have the lowest number of personal tragedies with adults or children being killed or injured in circumstances which were generally "avoidable".

Non-UK businesses and institutions effectively factor into their business model a higher cost for the fines when people are killed or injured.

I personally think that the UK has gone too far as some H & S issues are trivial. The Coalition does seem to be addressing this although any changes might well result in a small increase in accidents.

Whether you think this is justifiable presumably depends on whether you are one of the casualties!

Richard

 

[25931]

Kids

My (23yr old) son started in Mirrors in Faro when he was five, learned to respect the sea and still loves sailing. My 49 year old is an RNLI volunteer crew as well as sailing for pleasure. If you have any influence over any youngsters get them sailing as soon as possible.

 

[DanTribe]

Are we letting our kids down?

Not entirely, we do produce some excellent young sailors from Optimist & Cadet type junior fleets. Probably not as widespread as some countries it's true.
I think part of the problem is that sailing is still looked on as an elite sport and doesn't attract the support that say soccer does. [after all soccer is the only activity that qualifies as "sport" in UK].
It's also true that as more emphasis is put on safety, parents assume therefore that it must be dangerous. I have known a Dad, who I know drives like a loony, bring his kid to sailing session then refuse to let him sail because it was blowing 16 knots.

 

[Victoria Sponge]

We always do well at the Olympics in the water events!

 

[Signed Out]

(Sometimes I think I must be on many "ignore" lists).

And imagine how well we'd do if watersports (besides jetskiing) weren't viewed as elite, and the youth were encouraged to do these sports.

30ish years ago, I was only aware of one other person in my year who sailed (possibly 2 others), and 2 teachers, in a very large middling comprehensive in a fairly boaty area. In such a school/society, if sailing was not seen so poorly, we would have so much potential.

 

[DanTribe]

(Sometimes I think I must be on many "ignore" lists).

And imagine how well we'd do if watersports (besides jetskiing) weren't viewed as elite, and the youth were encouraged to do these sports.

30ish years ago, I was only aware of one other person in my year who sailed (possibly 2 others), and 2 teachers, in a very large middling comprehensive in a fairly boaty area. In such a school/society, if sailing was not seen so poorly, we would have so much potential.

I wasn't ignoring you, rather trying to agree.

 

[Nostrodamus]

I come from Scunthorpe which is to sailing what Stephen Hawkins is to after dinner speaking.
I had to make the effort myself and travel a long way.
I am glad I did but if we taught or children they could learn so much more.
We are an Island and the water is never far away..

 

[Victoria Sponge]

We live in the Midlands. When my kids were at school the strong swimmers were taken canoeing, sailing and rowing - state primary school, state comprehensive school.

Get your kids swimming! A swimming club is the best environment for children to learn to swim properly IMHO!

The other thing is, get involved with your kids schools and offer to start a sailing club, or any other water sports club.

 

[ninky]

Brits have the longest working hours in Europe. Many are also mortgaged up to the hilt. Plus we still have a class system and overzealous attachment to the right way of doing things that can create an environment of exclusivity around certain activities like sailing. There are ways of overcoming this on an individual basis (I took a sailing course when living in NZ in my 30s, the first time I ever got to go saliing) but it's going to have a statistical impact.

So until we embrace a bit more "liberte, egalite, fraternite" I suspect it will be "vive la difference!"

 

[Kurrawong_Kid]

Media myopia

If it isn't a ball game, the press and mainstream TV ignore unless they belatedly report cycling rowing and sailing after a win!
There just isn't the advertising and money in it.
Oh! One exception-motor racing! But is that really a sport? Certainly brings in the money though!!

 

[Twister_Ken]

Why didn’t I see the same in the UK and are we letting our kids down?

Do you have inflatable children?

 

[Nostrodamus]

It has nothing to do with long working hours, the kids here are learning in and out of school and during holidys.
In school our kids learn th value of the cod Piece in Shakespearian times or quadratic equasions.
Teach the kids something they will enjoy and it will be with them for life. They sail after school, our kids say they are bored, wear hoodies, stab grandma's and talk with a Jamacian twang.
Who is getting it right?