It’s for the Kids Too!
We had so many lovely types of groups on the boat this summer—friends, couples, proposals, and even a wedding! Let’s focus on one special group that we saw more of this year than ever before—the kiddos!
Provincetown Family Week is internationally known as a great time to bring families of all types to Provincetown to enjoy festivities in a most welcoming and accepting atmosphere. Though families come all summer long, this is most certainly our busiest week for families!
It is such a pleasure to be able to introduce kids with their young, inquisitive, explorative minds to the world of sailing. There is so much to see and do on the water and they have so many questions! Parents also have a lot of questions when thinking about bringing the family on board like…How do kids do on a sail? What do they do for 2-6 hours? Is it really better to leave them ashore? What’s the deal with life jackets?
So here are some thoughts to help. Let’s break it down to age ranges: 0-3, 4-7, 8-12, 13-17 years
0-3 years: The Easily Distracted
The first important thing to note is that ALL kids 12 years and younger MUST wear a jacket at all times and we encourage you to bring your own if you have them. The universal truth is that no one actually WANTS to wear a life jacket, but it is the law. We try to provide the most comfortable ones out there, but still, they can be less than desirable to don. With that said, a parent has a tough job trying to rationalize with kids, especially 0-3 year olds who may have some difficulty understanding the “why”. In a best case scenario, the kids will have worn a life jacket before and gotten comfortable enough with it so that the new experience focus is about sailing rather than wearing this puffy thing. It is advisable, then, if possible, to get the kids in a life jacket before they arrive, so it’s not such a shocker.
The 0-3 year olds tend to hang close to their parent (as you would expect!) and depending on the conditions oftentimes get lulled to sleep life jacket and all.
4-7 year olds: The Stair Masters
For kids that are older and more self sufficient, we notice that their favorite thing on a sailing trip is not watching the sails going up, sitting in the cockpit relaxing, or the occasional whale and seal sighting, but rather discovering the fact that Moment is like a fort that has a cabin with a ladder to climb in and out of it. Repeat and repeat, they love going in the cabin and out of the cabin, up and down the ladder. They also seem to really like the whale and seal sightings…in between all the climbing activity! And with all the activity, they work up an appetite and eat the delicious snacks that we provide such as cheese and baby carrots. What ever floats your boat, right?
As for life jackets, these older kids can be more easily convinced that they must wear a life jacket because it’s the law.
7-12 year olds: The Explorers and Swimmers
This age group tends to be more adventurous. They want to explore the whole cabin, be on the foredeck, and if it’s even remotely possible to take a swim! They have no problem jumping in when anchored and love swimming around the boat. If it’s a longer sail and we have the dinghy with us, they love riding in it almost more than sailing! With this sense of adventurous freedom, these are the guys that really need the life jackets on and also the ones that are toughest to convince because they are starting to become very cool.
13-17 year olds: The Nappers and Snappers
This age group tends to begin developing into their own, but a common thread is that they are all REALLY cool. And when the parents around and giving them an experience of a lifetime, their display of excitement is well … oftentimes underwhelming. They are most likely to be found deep in the world of Snapchat or even finding a corner and take a nap. The one thing you can count on, though they may not tell you, is all of their friends are super jealous! Depending on their preference, they may want to take a swim or Bluetooth their own music into Moment’s speaker.
As for life jackets, these guys are no longer required to wear a life jacket—much better for the Snapchat photos—but still not a bad idea.
Beyond the idiosyncrasies of each age group, there are a couple more important general things to note and ask yourself if you are questioning, “should we bring the kids?”
Have the kids had any major predisposition to motion sickness? If so, it should definitely be considered. Motion sickness can be a real nuisance for both kids and adults. It is well advised for anyone who gets motion sick to prepare by taking anti-motion medication as directed.
Is this a special occasion? Sailing aboard Moment can be a very romantic, relaxing, enjoyable escape to celebrate many occasions. There are just some times that you would rather have the time to yourself and not have to worry about the kids. While sailing can certainly be something for the whole family, we totally understand that some occasions are best left for adults to savor and fully enjoy the Moment.
We hope that this has given you a better sense of what to expect when the kids are onboard.
Either with or without the kids, sailing on Moment will be a very memorable experience!