Cruising with kids & teaching them to keep their cabins clean.

[Cameron & Leighia]

We are living aboard our 56ft custom Bruce Roberts with our 2 kids ages 5&6, we have lived full time on the boat at anchor for the past 3 years. Our kids have become experts at swinging like monkeys, climbing the rigging and keeping a sharp look out for pending playdates with other boat kids.
Since kids growing up on boats become more self sufficent at earlier ages than their peers, I have encouraged them to take on more chores like keeping their cabins clean, and putting their washing away. We like to give the motto " On the boat There's a place for everything and everything has a place" Well I tell you not in their cabins. I understand that kids have to have freedom of expression and we do live on a boat so quarters are smaller, but jeez barbie up the butt doesn't cut it.
My question is too any parents out there cruising or not do I hang my hat and close my eyes or is there a secret to children and cleaness onboard (without throwing them over the side)

Please be advised no children were made to walk the plank in the writing of this discussion post. They were asleep while Mummy and Daddy navigated SV Tranquility into the anchorage for them to wake up in a new playground of Key West.

[LOLA]

There is a GROUP CALLED Cruising With Kids

THEY MAY HAVE THE ANSWER

[Cameron & Leighia]

Thanks Gayle.
I've taken your last sentance to heart and am currently "trying to look the other way" I've also installed a net in my daughters room for her toys and babies, this helped!
Are you home schooling your boys? and if so are you using a certain Curriculum, I'd love to know.

Cheers and Happy Holidays

[John Marston]

This has been one of the best summers in my life! I'm sailing a cal29 with my girls 12 and 10 up here in the northwest. This is the last week of summer and I'm going to see how much they remember as I sit back and do NOTHING.

We missed sailing lessons on the small boats always having a larger boat, but we never miss a discussion about all the science there is around us, especially the physics involved in winding, cranking, pulleys, steering knot tying, and, of course, the sail trim. The lessons on tidyness, saftety, responsibility, cooking, and manners come naturally with the lifestyle and living in close quarters.

I'm curious to see how they do above and beyond long wheel watches. If the weather is nice, and I think it will be. I'm going to have them start the engine, raise the sails and cruise for a couple hours. I know they can do it. The question is do they?