Kiddo Concerns

One might be wondering what our kids think about all this. In the spring, when we committed 100% to this adventure it was a family decision. The kids were at the height of homework fatigue and ready for a change as well. Here we are today, with one week of homeschool under our belts and they are still happy to be headed to the boat. They love not having homework and I've been making sure they see friends a few times a week. That's the no brainer downside for them - missing their friends. I'm sure more will develop as they adjust to life beyond the U.S. border. Thankfully they really do enjoy playing with one another so when I feel sad about what they might miss I take comfort in knowing they have each other. They also have technology, and talk with their friends & family regularly on their own.

So what do they talk about in regards to living on a boat?
I'll share it with you this way:

Eli [shouting from the other room]: Can we have one of those things that pirates use? The things that people walk on above swimming sharks below....

Me: You mean a "plank?"

Eli: Yes, a plank!

Me: Sure Eli, I think we can figure out how to do that.

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Me: Well we won't have a car.

Josiah: Let's make our dinghy into a Land Shark! [The Land Shark is a Santa Barbara tour bus that's also a boat. Most tourist destinations on the water have their version.]

Me: That's one idea....

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Me: You can't bring everything on the boat, we'll have to sell/store/giveaway our things and only keep with us what's most important.

Finn: Okay, I'm bringing my stuffed animals.

Me: Well, maybe not ALL your stuffed animals, you'll have to make some choices. [Finn has a major collection]

Finn: Okay, but I'll bring MOST of them.

[Believe it or not, when looking at boats, potential stuffy storage was an item on the "check-list."]