Bad Parenting... 2 Examples?

In the news lately there have been outraged people talking about bad parenting. The reason?

Example 1:

Abby Sunderland's failed attempt to sail solo around the world. They say she is too young! It's too dangerous! She's only 16! No sixteen year old is capable or mature enough! Her parents shouldn't have let her do it!

Well, her 16 year old brother did it the year before. She has been sailing most of her life. Her Dad is a life long sailor. The kid was practically raised on a boat. Abby came up with the idea at 13 years old. She knew the risks and the things that could possibly happen. Her brother did it just last year. So I'm sure he told her all about it.

So what is the problem? Is it really bad parenting or is it knowing your kid and letting them be themselves?

I think everyone is different. The things that make someone freak out don't phase other people. There are millions of 16 year olds who would never be able to cope with a solo trip around the world even at the age of 35 being hale and hearty. That's not who they are. They don't look at something as adventurous, they see it as dangerous. They are too safe. The most danger they have is driving the freeway, or a tub without the stickers that keep you from slipping.

The danger for her was real. Storms, pirates, mechanical problems. There are all sorts of things that can happen. But if your read her blog, the one she did as she sailed, http://soloround.blogspot.com/ you'll see this kid is not an ordinary kid.

She had bad weather and it snapped her mast. She also did everyting she needed to to secure rescue. She is safe and I, as an adventure loving person, am glad she is alright.

Would her parents be bad parents if she had been successful in her attempt?

Example 2:

13 year old Jordan Romero climbed Everest. This is something that has killed many older more experienced climbers. If you read Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer you realize just how crazy dangerous it is to climb Everest. But the kid did it with his dad and others becoming the youngest to ever summit Everest.

Is this also an example of bad parenting? Jordan came up with it at the age of 9. He saw a listing of the 9 tallest peaks at school and told his Dad that he wanted to climb all of them. What did his Dad say to that?

"We better start training."

That, in my opinion, is great parenting. His Dad didn't say it's dangerous or too expensive or crazy for a 9 year old to want to do it, he told him it would take work and commitment with that one simple sentence.

He lives in Big Bear, California, so there's a lot of places to train. If it were just a thought that was soon to be forgotten, the training part of it would have stopped the kid when it got too hard. He wanted to do it.

Is mountain climbing dangerous? Yes. But I think sitting on your ass playing playstation is a lot more dangerous and detrimental to the kids of today. Look at the number of adults who waste time playing video games?

Bubble wrapping kids so they never get hurt, giving every child who participates in a sport a trophy at the end to improve their self esteem, that's crazy. Do you look at virtual rollercoasters on-line, representations of real roller coasters, ones that you can really ride but are too afraid to? Or do you get on the roller coaster and have the adventure?

I prefer a world with real roller coasters, mountains to climb, and seas to cross. It's supposed to be an adventure.