I have had a lot of questions lately about what the kids lives will be like while living on board Independence (safety, school, social etc), so I thought I would take this entry to address some of those questions.
1. Safety: THE BIG QUESTION
We will have safety netting all around the boat. For those of you that don't know what safety netting looks like it resembles baseball netting and it is wound around the lifelines and stanchions. However, while Sam is still little he will be hooked into a safety harness while out on deck. They will both wear life jackets in the dinghy and while underway on deck. Don't forget, Otis and I will always be with them. It's not as if we are going to let them hang out on deck while we catch a nap down below. There will be rules right off the bat and like anything they will be taught boundaries.
We are also installing a motion sensor on the door leading out to the cockpit and the swim platform. This will alert us if Sam or Ben go outside. Not to worry, this can be turned off so as not to drive us and others in the anchorage INSANE but it will be used at night and while they are napping etc. If anyone knows of a marine specific motion sensor or something they would recommend please email me.
2. School:
This won't be a problem for Sam as he is soo young. For Ben we have, after much research, decided to use the Calvert School. We figure that we can teach him up to third grade and then should probably turn it over to the professionals. I am hoping that Ben will benefit from the one and one attention. Another benefit will be that Otis and I will be acutely aware of his strength and weaknesses so can take extra time where needed.
We will follow a schedule from Monday thru Friday. The schedule will go something like:
7:00: Day starts
- Raise the flag(Ben job)
- eat breakfast, listen to radio for news etc
- go for a swim
9:00 school begins
School will last for two hours then we all have lunch and off for an adventure or activity.
I also feel it's important to get them enrolled in a local preschool or whatever while we wait out hurricane season in places such as Grenada or wherever. Not only do i want to expose them to other cultures but I also think it's important for them to play with kids their own age. I remember an equestrian school in Antigua that would be fun for Ben. I think exposing them to other people and cultures is EXTREMELY important. I think most people think we are going to be floating aimlessly around the ocean on the contrary, if we like a place we will stay until we get bored.
3. Activities:
I am bringing lots of crafts on-board and we will go snorkeling, hiking, provisioning etc. It's not too much different than life on land other than the fact that we don't have as much space or a tv( we will do have a dvd player, please, I'm not stupid!).

Don't get me wrong, this adventure won't always be easy. But i KNOW the rewards will out weigh the challenges. I look forward to seeing the world through the eyes of my children. Children have
such a natural curiosity, sense of adventure and innocence. I hope to learn from them as well.

Another highlight, is the fact that for the most part we will be reliant on nature for our energy. The boat is powered by solar and wind. Yes, there will be an engine which can be used to for recharge the batteries if need be. However, I like the fact that the kids will have to be aware of the power they consume and that there are consequences to waste.
So all in all I know that this will be a wonderful experience for the entire family but especially the kids.
I hope this answers some of the questions that you have, if not email me I guarantee we have thought through the majority of scenarios.