Dutch court rules against 14 year old solo sailing trip

[pam]

Originally Posted by Vort

I disagree. I hate European courts. They are as corrupt as the day is long. This is the same mentality that the German courts show when jailing parents who homeschool and not allowing parents to hold their children out of pro-homosexuality classes and such.

I don't necessarily agree with the parents' decision to allow their daughter to sail around the world, but this is outside the borders of the country. It's not like they're selling her into prostitution in southeast Asia or letting her do drugs abroad (which, ironically, might well be legal). This is purely a case of a government deciding, without compelling cause, that it can parent a child better than the parents.

To me it doesn't have anything to do with being a Dutch court, an English Court or a US Court. Again, somewhere along the line you have to draw a line on this.

[xforeverxmetalx]

maybe there does need to be a line but... why let the government do it?
I agree with whoever said that the parents know their kids best, it should be up to them. there are extremely young kids out there doing kinds of work our society wouldn't allow... doesn't mean that they're completely incapable of certain things.

if it were up to me... I'd probably let the kid do some test runs closer to home first, then see about whatever more. but not an easy decision of course.

[pam]

Because some parents are also into if for the publicity. Case in point the balloon kid.

[xforeverxmetalx]

sad but true...
doesn't mean that's good enough reason to say a kid can't follow their dreams though, it just means their parents need to get their priorities in order