Would you....

[Original Wing Nut]

OWN,
Your banner-quote says it all

I have learned some very valuable and expensive lessons from being stupid. Most of the time I am a quick learner. I wish I hadn't learned some of the things the way I have, but experience is the best teacher. I thank God every day that my kids have been smarter than I.

[KonaKing]

There is no substitute for experience

[bk3104]

Every child is different and we as parents have a lot to do with how they accept responsibility. My son is 15 and has had his drivers permit for 6 months. He took and passed his boaters safety course 13. So that got him the privledge to drive a jet ski. I was always out with him for the first 3 months ensuring that he was mindful of the rules etc. And there were several times when he got to "park" the ski for a few hours. Also taught him to drive and dock the boat. He continues to earn these privledges by getting good grades, keeping involved in sports, and doing his chores both at home and at the lake house. After 3 years he knows when he slips up which isn't very often. He has some "less disciplined" friends and I'm very pleased that he takes responsibility for them when they are our guests. He's not afraid to tell them the rules. So the net is he can dock the boat as good, if not better than me, he's a great jet ski driver, and this summer I'll teach him to pull skiers, boarders, and the occasional tube. So ... yes he's earned it. And the best recognition of this is when his friends fathers allow their kids to go out with him because they know he is a responsible operator.

[Original Wing Nut]

And the best recognition of this is when his friends fathers allow their kids to go out with him because they know he is a responsible operator.[/QUOTE]



Awesome!!

[rogersbm82]

I think it comes down to how much you trust your parenting, not your kid. My dad would let me take the boat out when I was 17 with friends and girls. He knew that I knew that if anything happened to that boat, my a** was grass. So I never had time to "look cool" for the girls cause I was too nervous about doing something to get my a** kicked by my dad. The warnings my dad gave were probably worse than most kid's acctual punishment.

[CP3]

Would you let your 16-17 y/o son and his buddy take your BRAND NEW Tahoe, very new X-2 (not sure how old but still had stock stickers on tower and they didn't know how to use the stereo) and most importantly your daughter-his much younger sibling- and her friend?

This was on Lake Geneva where money is no object for most people out threre and apparantly, while they didn't live on the lake, they had plenty of money. To be fair, they popped the boat in/out pretty well, seemed to be nice young kids from my limited conversation, and they were pretty decent boarders so they had to have some decent time on a boat.

My head was swimming though- that's a HUGE chunk of change to turn 2 young boys loose in. I think I might maybe possibly could let them use the "things" since those can be replaced, but I would NEVER let them take my daughter or any of her friends without me or another adult I trusted.
I was a teenage boy once (a long time ago) and I know if I wasn't thinking about poonanny I was thinking about what kind of trouble I could get into.

Would you let your kids rolll out with that much of your hard earned equity?? How about your younger daughter/son? Am I being a fuddy-duddy?

When we first got our boat I was about 18 and I took it out with out my parents several times. I guess I was just responsible enough to do it on my own. It sucked having to do everything and still does suck. Usually I have to load and unload my boat by myself and drive the whole time except when Im boarding.

So I dont think its that big of a deal. At the time the boat and truck were pretty close to new and I never had a problem. and all of that was on lake MEAD!

[ragboy]

Would you let your 16-17 y/o son and his buddy take your BRAND NEW Tahoe, very new X-2 (not sure how old but still had stock stickers on tower and they didn't know how to use the stereo) and most importantly your daughter-his much younger sibling- and her friend?

This was on Lake Geneva where money is no object for most people out threre and apparantly, while they didn't live on the lake, they had plenty of money. To be fair, they popped the boat in/out pretty well, seemed to be nice young kids from my limited conversation, and they were pretty decent boarders so they had to have some decent time on a boat.

My head was swimming though- that's a HUGE chunk of change to turn 2 young boys loose in. I think I might maybe possibly could let them use the "things" since those can be replaced, but I would NEVER let them take my daughter or any of her friends without me or another adult I trusted.
I was a teenage boy once (a long time ago) and I know if I wasn't thinking about poonanny I was thinking about what kind of trouble I could get into.

Would you let your kids rolll out with that much of your hard earned equity?? How about your younger daughter/son? Am I being a fuddy-duddy?

I would. My daughter is almost finished learning to back up well enough to take waverunners out. I can see letting my son RJ take out the boat at 17. However, not many kids go through the kind of training and responsibility my kids do. He would have to prove himself first, of course, but I would let him.

[Studman]

I let my son (20) take my f250 and 20v a couple of times a month and keep my fingers crossed. They pay for the gas and my son knows that it is his head on the line, besides he loads the boat and i drive truck when we go out. I am sure that they screw around sometimes on the river but it is usually 8 or 9 am and not a lot of people on river. it is the music volume that I have to get after them about-- sound carries on the water. My daughter is 17 I would send here any time (she is better that the local police) and my sons friends know she is off limits(not just my rules but her brothers as well) i try to tell myself "you just got to have faith look what you did as a kid and everything turned out ok" if you do not buy into that one then look at it this way "that's why we pay state farm so much G.D. money they can fix it if it gets broke"

[dogbert]

I let my son (20) take my f250 and 20v a couple of times a month and keep my fingers crossed. They pay for the gas and my son knows that it is his head on the line, besides he loads the boat and i drive truck when we go out. I am sure that they screw around sometimes on the river but it is usually 8 or 9 am and not a lot of people on river. it is the music volume that I have to get after them about-- sound carries on the water. My daughter is 17 I would send here any time (she is better that the local police) and my sons friends know she is off limits(not just my rules but her brothers as well) i try to tell myself "you just got to have faith look what you did as a kid and everything turned out ok" if you do not buy into that one then look at it this way "that's why we pay state farm so much G.D. money they can fix it if it gets broke"

I'm with you. Still not sure how responsible my boys will be, but it won't be for lack of trying. So far, so good.

[H20SKIER14]

I had always grown up and been around boats, when I turned 14 I took the boaters safety test and was able to drive jet skis on my own. I had been towing my dad skiing since I was 12 and as soon as I got my drivers permit at 15 I was towing the boat. When I turned 16 he let me take his boat out. I used his boat off and on for 3 years before finally buying my own. I think without his trust it would have turned me away from the sport.

[dogbert]

I just had a new one thrown at me by my 13 year old. He said, "Dad, move over and let me drive, we need you as ballast."

[Jason B]

I just had a new one thrown at me by my 13 year old. He said, "Dad, move over and let me drive, we need you as ballast."

DOHHH!
Kids say the darndest things

[LovinPowell]

I just had a new one thrown at me by my 13 year old. He said, "Dad, move over and let me drive, we need you as ballast."

I've been considering letting my 11 year old drive (70 pounds) for that very reason.

[dogbert]

Yeah, my son was clearly focused on building the optimal surf wake for his brother and his friends.

It's ok, I tell people to move around the boat all the time, but I use the word "balance".

[LovinPowell]

Maybe we should say it "tactfully" as xpjim mentioned in another thread "sit your butt down over here"