Socialization…..

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berryfarmer

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Aug 27, 2023
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Dreaming of my son and I having a liveaboard lifestyle…. we are sort of hermits as-is and we both seem to be very happy with life as such. Those who have spent long amounts of time on a boat, especially those with children, what kind of feelings did that lifestyle produce? Were you all mostly happy with it, did you yearn a little more for docking and going to “town” and hanging out? Did you seek out other cruisers for companionship more than you thought you would? Any advice you can share? I’m already homeschooling and we’re doing very well with it, I just want to have some real discussions about how others have handled the liveaboard life and what sort of unexpected issues arise from such.
 
My biggest question is, did you and/or your family find yourselves seeking outside companionship more than you anticipated?
 
Perhaps no responses as many on this forum are probably well past child rearing age. There are several YouTube channels where they are cruising with kids. Example would be "Mermaid and Monster." Good luck.
 
Many of the other liveaboads I have crossed paths with had very well adjusted kids.

Mine spent a few years staying weekends and vacation time aboard with me. They were always meeting other "boating kids" whether fulltimers or just long termers/seasonal. Even the kids with pretty scary or "different" parents seemed like OK kids.... though I have no idea how they turned out. :eek:

Home schooling or not didn't seem to matter. Many would cruise for years then settle to a marina for a season or so, thus the kids going to a local school.

I do recommend being near at least small communities as socialization is always important unless both of you stay boat hermits for the rest of your lives....but ultimately boats wind up at yards for repairs/maintenance.
 
In general boats/cruisers don't socialize as much as just 5-7 years ago. I think it has to do with much better internet from cell phones and Star Link. Lots of cruisers don't even have boat cards anymore and there is less chance someone dinghies over and introduces themselves anymore in an anchorage.

But, there still are those that do it just takes more effort to socialize than before. Far as the kids go, there is a plus to the better internet and that is more younger cruisers are out there with kids. I would always say that it is pretty common for boats with kids to form up in semi buddy boat groups and go with anchorage to anchorage with each other.

Boat kids off cruising boats have always struck me as adjusted and well behaved in general. But that may be because there is no other behavior that would work on a boat.
 
We're not liveaboards but we spend every moment we possibly can on board with our kids, now 13 and 15. In fact we're on the boat this weekend right now, even though it's 48 degrees outside and we're one of the last boats still in. I have noticed a lot of the tendencies in them that you hear about "boat kids" - hopefully more polite, more likely to engage adults, more independent and resourceful and skilled in fixing things. As they get older I have noticed it's "boat specific" though. Maybe it's my imagination, but I often get the feeling that those habits only or mostly kick in at the marina or on the water, with and to other boaters in other words, but it doesn't translate back in regular life on land.

The boys wouldn't think twice about talking to random adults on the docks or joining groups of unknown kids, or helping strangers tie up thier boats, but they generally don't assume that familiarity and ease at home, back on land. One afternoon Nicholas disappeared for a while - he came back with a wad of cash because he helped one person at the launching ramp who tipped him (unsolicited of course) and then he just stayed there helping boat after boat and many of them handed him tips. That kind of thing would never happen on land.

They also have some close "boat friends" - that they only see half the year when it's not snowing - but oddly, they don't seem to have any close land friends. Kind of strange. And they love it down here, even when its cold or rainy or quiet, when at home they're bored and fussy in ten seconds. Life on the water is a fascinating thing for kids and so interesting to watch.
 
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