Sailing with Teens

I have been trying to find info and blogs of other sailing family's with teenagers. This is a bit more hard to find but I did find a few. One thing I have found to be the biggest issue is not the "socializing" part of it. There are a ton of kids out there in every great tropical anchorage. In reading about the "cruising teens", most kids say they love the destinations but despise the passages making that the biggest issue. I think we have tried to overcome this hatred for passage by having plenty to do. Our kids are going to be part of the rotating watch. At first with one of us, than on their own. Night or Day. They will have chores and will have to help maintain the vessel. They are going to be reading and going over Spanish and French a big majority of the time. We have ample supply of books, especially geography and "sailing" as do most other vessels. I think a lot of Cruisers overlook the needs of teens. The younger kids are always given special things and accomidations are made but the tweens and teens....not so much. We have a daughter who loves art and can draw for hours. Our son can created any number of spit ball launching devises made out of rubber bands and clothes pins and other misc. items. He also has a huge lego and micro engineering toys. We have a guitar and keyboard aboard. We have plenty of movies and music, that are always good on night watch. We have gaming systems for the kids and the biggest kid, Neil! I have my paints and pencils and books....(honestly I have never been borred a day in my life). Once you get to your destination it is constant going to shore, diving, visiting markets, hiking...etc...

We have a bit of an edge too in that they have lived on a boat for some time. We are a bit cramped but not as badly as most would think. We ALL want to go explore the world and we ALL have a say in it. It IS a "Family Affair" and I think that makes a huge difference.