Jessica Watson, one brave girl

[Guest Guest5035]

Jessica Watson set to return to Sydney in huge welcome | Adelaide Now

 

After 210 days by herself at sea, it all ends in the morning in Sydney, a great welcome is waiting for one brave girl.

 

Stevo

[Riponian]

Congratualtions to her, I could not do it or let my kids do that. AMAZING

[Diane]

Spoilt little rich girl! Why an earth is she such an "inspiration" which is all I keep hearing, when all she's done has been for her self and self-glory? Plenty of unsung teens out there who do stuff for someone other than themselves, who I feel are far more worthy of all the publicity. My son says he hopes her school makes her catch up on six months worth of homework now!!

[suzer]

Spoilt little rich girl! Why an earth is she such an "inspiration" which is all I keep hearing, when all she's done has been for her self and self-glory? Plenty of unsung teens out there who do stuff for someone other than themselves, who I feel are far more worthy of all the publicity. My son says he hopes her school makes her catch up on six months worth of homework now!!

 

What I wonder is what kind of parent lets their child go off like this at 16?

[Rachiegarlo]

ones that have faith in their child's abilities to do what is necessary. Lots of kids used to leave home at 16 and go out into the big wide world. When the Sydney harbour Bridge opened a 12 yo boy rode his horse from Victoria to get there.......so kids have been doing things by themselves for ages. Todays kids are kept in cotton wool far too long. It's not about being rich or spoilt, she comes from a sailing family, has sailed all her life, just as farm kids learn to drive and camp and ride motorbikes at an early age because that is part of their life. My sister left home and moved to the other side of the world at 16, it depends on the child and their life experience.

[suzer]

No child should be allowed to leave home before 18 - that's criminal in some countries.

[Guest Guest5035]

Spoilt little rich girl! Why an earth is she such an "inspiration" which is all I keep hearing, when all she's done has been for her self and self-glory? Plenty of unsung teens out there who do stuff for someone other than themselves, who I feel are far more worthy of all the publicity. My son says he hopes her school makes her catch up on six months worth of homework now!!

 

She's not rich Di, but will be very very soon and will no doubt pay back all her backers aswell. Yes you are right regarding other teens doing things for other people, but have they spent 210 days by themselves going through what she has, regarding her school homework, no doubt she was doing it to relieve the boredom. I wish her all the best.

 

Stevo

[Diane]

She might not be rich but her Daddy certainly is (have you seen the price of yachts these days?!)

 

I think it's a terrible example - it's all about "me, me, me" and aren't we supposed to encourage our kids to stay in education at least until Year 12, and while they're there, to consider others as well as themselves? I am certainly very glad that my (nearly) sixteen year old daughter sees nothing to admire in this spoilt and self-centred child's actions - and is more focussed on what she could do to raise money for her favourite charity, or how she can help out those less fortunate than herself than on whether she could do the big "I am" like this Jessica girl is doing! To me, this girl is like the worst product of pushy parent syndrome (and believe me, I've seen a few of those on a smaller scale in my lifetime!!)

 

She didn't even sail far enough for a record, ffs!!

[Guest kangomik]

An oustanding achievment, something not accomplished by many at all.

School homework, rich parents, self importance. To be honest it all means sweet FA. The odds of this young lady being able to sail and navigate around the globe single handed without stopping at any port around the world should be applauded.

If this was done for money alone, not many would have put money on her succeeding. Many would have backer her to fail.

She did this in a small boat, nothing like the size and value that Helen McCarthy (SP?) used.

This young lady did not do a quick jaunt skirting the south pole, she skippered some of the worst known water the world has to offer and rose above the equator, and all on her own.

 

I don't care if she is in it for the glory, just imagine spending night after night in total darkness in either dead calm conditions or in gale force seas. There are not many kids let alone full grown adults that can do that. Being all alone for so long would send many crazy.

 

She is an excellent example to other kids, you can achieve what you want, no matter how big this world maybe, and no matter what others think of you.

[Guest smit]

Interesting...........................I find myself siding with Diane on this one....doh!..Go get yourself a drink.......dont happen too often......lol!!!

[Diane]

... There are not many kids let alone full grown adults that can do that.....

 

Not many kids whose parents would (a) bankroll them to do so or (b) consider that letting a 16 year old do that counts as responsible parenting!! And she's only an example that with enough money (someone else's that you haven't even earnt yourself) you can do anything!!!

 

And just for the record, six months with no-one nagging you to tidy your room, no school, no exams and no homework sounds like teenager heaven to me!!

 

Enough about the overhyped spoilt brat already!!

 

As for you Smit, go have a lie down, you'll soon feel better!!!

[Guest kangomik]

less room than a prison cell... i bet she kept it very clean.

Would you send your child anywhere if you did not have confidence that they would exceed?

 

Lets face most sporting people are bank rolled by parents or relatives. You will NEVER succeed in motorsport unless someone has a big wallet behind you, and many other sports would need someone in the right place at the right time.

 

But all of thaqt will not take away the fact that this Young lady has gone where you and i would not, she has sailed sea's that have claimed many lives before her. All the money in the world does not mean it will be a safe and enjoyable voyage....... for that you book a cruise...... with insurance.

[Guest smit]

I will say that what she has done is a big feat and one that not many people do. However, its one that only the priveleged get to do, and I for one , are for equality and oppurtunity for all in sport.And on the whole ,australia is just that. But money does count wherever you are.

one of my all time biggest gripes is rowing. Why is rowing so uppercrust in uk???.

[Guest kangomik]

and it isn't in Aus?

[Diane]

Re rowing: It certainly isn't here - my friends daughter does it - but what it does require is some incredibly early starts (bit like competitive swimming) so I would definitely discourage any leanings that way from my two: soccer with 8:30 kick off is bad enough! I think in the UK, it's a sport that you can only do through private schools, hence the knock-on elitist effect.

[Guest Guest5035]

grab a coffee di and watch it on tv:)

 

stevo

[Rachiegarlo]

No she means that if your kid does rowing at school, you , the lucky parent have to get said kid down to West Lakes in all weathers by 6 in the morning so that they can train before school . Same with the elite gym kids, Swimming kids etc.

[ozzieclare2be]

I think its an amazing achievement to spend all that time at sea at just 16, we need people like her in the world (if shes rich or not who cares?) to inspire their peers to get off their arses and do something other than sit playing the wii all day. I think you have to see beyond the alleged selfishness of it, whats shes done most teenagers wouldnt get the chance to do, but thats like saying shes not achieved something because her parents enabled her to do it, smacks of jealousy , id rather 20 kids like her out in the world than people who really are a waste of space like paris hilton and lynsey lohan, what kind of inspiratin are they to the younger generation?

[Pesty650]

It's an amazing accomplishment & I can't quite believe what I'm reading on this thread. If you have a chip on your shoulder in Oz, is it a hot chip?

I agree with ozzieclare2be though - nice post, very well put!

By the way, you don't have to be rich in the UK to do rowing, just be somewhere near a rowing club. Sport happens outside school too. Anyone can join, train in the mornings or evenings, regattas at the weekend. Unfortunately, parents might have to put themselves out to enable their kids to do this so it's obviously not for all.

[bill]

ones that have faith in their child's abilities to do what is necessary. Lots of kids used to leave home at 16 and go out into the big wide world. When the Sydney harbour Bridge opened a 12 yo boy rode his horse from Victoria to get there.......so kids have been doing things by themselves for ages. Todays kids are kept in cotton wool far too long. It's not about being rich or spoilt, she comes from a sailing family, has sailed all her life, just as farm kids learn to drive and camp and ride motorbikes at an early age because that is part of their life. My sister left home and moved to the other side of the world at 16, it depends on the child and their life experience.

Well said! I am full of admiration for her and for the parents who have instilled such a can-do attitude. I am amazed that anybody could be so mean-spirited as to criticise her fantastic achievement. Some kids mature faster than others, so age is immaterial.

[HEAPS GOOD !!!]

Some i mean some kids sense of achievement is to have a kid and a council place in the UK by the time they are 16....

 

Well done Jessica....

 

Apparantly they are changing the laws on the sailing around the world to minimun age of 18 so those who have done it under that age can never be beaten....

 

Good effort if you ask me .....

 

 

HG

[Guest kangomik]

Would be good then if she was the last under 18 year old to complete such a massive achievment.

[Diane]

Actually there's a German lad midway through doing the same thing who is a couple of months younger than her so (a) she didn't go far enough to get a record anyway, and (b) he is!

 

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....

[Guest kangomik]

He hasn't

A. done it yet

B. Survived to tell the tale.

 

C. wouldn't it be funny, He wouldn't get the record anyway because apparently it's not a worthy cause!!!!!!

 

D. i hope his parents know that people disapprove of such a task, male or female!

 

Personally. The ones that can - and do do it deserve such a welcome home, an epic adventure, something that very very few have done and many wish they had.

 

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ or not....... talent and commitment.

[sue2oz]

I was really proud of jessia today , loved watching her on tv, but it did make me think?

If my lad said "am gonna sail around the world 2mrw" i would drop dead.

I wouldnt let MY child go at 16 no way.

But to me i get to thinking she has sailed and sailed and not got out anywhere, seen how people are, how they live etc. WHY?

There are kids/teenages out there that help out without thinking about it, belive me i know afew!

 

sue xxx