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Live Aboard with Children


mattc

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Just wanted some input from people who are on live aboard with young children (2-10).

 

Any suggestions or does/dont's?

 

Any issue with schooling

 

Whats the ups and downs?

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Will you have a home mooring or plan to CC?

 

 

eta... Ours are now 4+6 both were born on to the boats.

 

We have a Residential Mooring so schooling isn't a problem.

 

Main problem is space, I dont think our boat will ever look tidy again, Lego and Plasticine everywhere,

 

Both are very water concious and we drilled this into them as soon as they could walk, no one goes on deck unles one of us is with them.

 

Swimming lessons were also started from an erly age.

 

If you plan to CC then schooling can be a bit more of a problem due to having to move around but there are folks who manage it and im sure will reply to you

Edited by saltysplash
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Edit-i assume continuous cruising is the intended use of the boat. May not be of course :)

 

I echo Salty's comments.

 

3 and 5 year old girls. We too are on a resi mooring now although did cc for a time while they were very little.

 

Space is an issue. We are on a 58ftx12ft barge. Could do with 72x13ft8 :lol:

 

One thing with small children is they get bigger. Not sure how but they do !

 

When we were cc ing we did get into a particular creche due to having unusual 'social' circumstances and there are rumours about "travellers" having school priority and ability to move between schools (disruptive)

 

On balance I would say a big NO to it (attempting to cont. Cruise with children and no mooring) unless you home educate but that's another kettle of fish altogether :rolleyes:

You will almost certainly not be able to use the boat bona fide for navigation as is 'required' so it could get a bit naughty.

 

Of course you could go the ghost mooring route and bridge hop but I feel things will be changing. Been feeling that for 20 years though and little actually does change !

Edited by magnetman
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We have 2 girls, 4 and 2, living on a pair of 72ft Narrowboats. We have enough space but pay more for heating costs as we have 2 spaces to heat. We are living in a marina as it's easier for schools etc..... also when they're older, they can move on the butty, and we can have the motor!

And they're covered in playdoh and pen scribbles!

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Interesting thread. I have a baby on the way. We are planning on staying on Rufford.

 

Schooling is not an issue as I currently see it. I am lucky being in the Midlands I am literally encircled by many canals and I think I worked out I had 300 miles or so of canal I can moor on and still get to work in 40 mins. The Mrs will be driving too so she can drop the sprig at school.

 

My main concerns are space, mess and where to stpp do when the boat is being blacked or worked on.

Also we currently have two boats but they are very hard work to move about with just two people, so we are selling one. The idea of a motor and nutty sound great but with two people it is slow going and very hard work.

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Are your two boats motors?? If so, don't immediately get rid. You can always tow one. The space will come in handy. We are on a river so can breast up. However, if we need to single out, we treat friends to a day or two's boating !

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Thanks for the comments.

 

Will hopefully find a suitable mooring so don't plan on CC, but might have no choice to start with. Being Birmingham based have alot of canal to look at and moorings to find.

 

Anyone know of decent moorings in an 30-60 minutes drive of Brum?

 

Don't mind the mess and can deal with lack of space. Plan is that if need by by the time the little ones getting to double figures that we can always move back into the normal on land housing.

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... Swimming lessons were also started from an early age. ...

My father taught me to swim when I was five years old. We took our children to the swimming pool when they were <6 months old. At that age they still have the inherited diving reaction; Mum and Dad stand five or six feet apart, push baby under water and propel them to the other partner. They don't drown, they enjoy it, they previously spent nine months immersed in amniotic fluid.

 

Being able to swim is good but it is much more important to be confident in the water. Even so, our children always wore buoyancy aids until they were teenagers.

 

Alan

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On a mooring no problem unless you make one! Trying to CC will soon be a problem when you have to get children to creche/nursery and then schools while moving enough to satisfy the CC navigation rules. Home education is not to be done lightly, school is free but all the support and material for home education will NOT be, then there is the issue of the peer group social development of children in atypical situations.

 

Lots will depend on how much time effort and money you can put into supporting your child(ren). If they are balanced and socially "average" and their schooling is properly supported -(homework done etc) then no-one will bother. A teacher I know has to wash dress and feed some of her class so ALL the agencies do get involved.

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Following this thread with interest as we have a little one on the way - due early January.

 

We've got a permanent mooring but not residential and no way of receiving post at the mooring. How do people with children manage with doctors, nursery, school etc with no residential address? Is it ok to use c/o post office address with the authorities as we do for our other post?

 

Tom and Becky

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  • 3 months later...

It's been a while since this was commented on but ,,,

We recently had a little girl in February this year and live aboard a 50ft narrow boat, we've managed well, we use a parents address as a c/o so were registered at local docs etc, worked well up to now.

Buy as much as you can as a travel version, that way it can be folded away until needed

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Am old thread I know but to both Tom & Bex and ditchy, avoid using the term C/O when giving your address, do not fill forms on with C/O, just put the address you use.

Using the term C/O stores up all sorts of problems for the future.

Don't ask me how I know.

Phil

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Thanks for the comments.

 

Will hopefully find a suitable mooring so don't plan on CC, but might have no choice to start with. Being Birmingham based have alot of canal to look at and moorings to find.

 

Anyone know of decent moorings in an 30-60 minutes drive of Brum?

 

Don't mind the mess and can deal with lack of space. Plan is that if need by by the time the little ones getting to double figures that we can always move back into the normal on land housing.

 

Hockley Port has some spaces at the moment - and there's also a new baby on site so if you're still looking, it's a good place to be. The on site laundry is a boon too!

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