Abby Sunderlund, the 16 year-old Californian, who was attempting to become the youngest person to sail around the world, was rescued on Monday when she was picked up by a diverted French fishing vessel.
This has touched off a media frenzy of pundits weighing-in on the suitability of mere and pere Sunderland's parenting skills.
So, are her parents (who, by the by, were going to start up a reality T.V. show based upon Abby's journey) certifiable, incredibly callous, money-grubbing jerks or parents-of-the-year material for letting their child climb every mountain or something?
Deadspin has a nice roundup of the media coverage here, and while the Sunderlands' parenting decisions would most likely not flange-up with our own, commenter Senator Lost Cajones' take mirrors our sentiments on the wussification of America:
(Language warning):
Bear in mind, these are the same people who, 20 years ago, insisted that all be given trophies just for showing up for Little League lest their Little Johnnys and Precious Suzies emerge from their bubble wrap with crippling self-esteem issues.
Given the resulting glut of clueless, self-entitled 27 year old fuckwits who can't cope with not having everything handed to them on a fucking plate, it isn't the Sunderlands' parenting skills I'd be questioning.
Remember, the occasional ass-kicking if not necessarily the capsized vessel out in deep water builds character, kids.
Please feel free to weigh-in with your own opinion in the comment section. Thanks.
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5 comments:
yah, but as a mother, there is no way I am sending my young unarmed daughter into international waters alone. I figure you can promote dreams and ambitious goals with at least a nod to basic safety. The pirates that chased her brother for two days was even scarier than the 27th foot waves that plagued her. Just my 2 cents
yah, but as a mother, there is no way I am sending my young unarmed daughter into international waters alone. I figure you can promote dreams and ambitious goals with at least a nod to basic safety. The pirates that chased her brother for two days was even scarier than the 27th foot waves that plagued her. Just my 2 cents
I'd be with the climb every mountain camp if I didn't suspect the parents weren't behind this just for the cash. The human heart is a tricky thing, it's hard to make judgments about motive. In the gospel of John (2:23-24) Jesus deals with this:
Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name. But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men.
I dunno, man. I'm all for adventure and letting kids test themselves to the limits, but sending a little 16-year-old cutie out to sail around the world alone seems to be the height of idiocy.
Drive across Oregon as three high school siblings to visit family: adventure, letting go, etc.
Let daughter of same age sail around the world. Alone. Unarmed. After broadcasting that it would happen: bad idea.
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