On a recent visit to San Francisco, we went along to the historic Hyde Street Pier down on Fisherman’s Wharf and toured some of the old ships moored there as part of the Maritime National Historic Park display.
For a while we watched a group of school kids on an educational excursion who were experiencing life as a crew member aboard the ship Balclutha – 1904 style. Throughout the structured activities aboard Balclutha and in a long boat which was rowed out into the harbour, kids had to address their “senior officers” with Ay Ay Sir, respond quickly to orders and obey instructions.
Talking to one of their classroom teachers, feedback from previous excursions was that the kids thoroughly enjoyed the experience and had “the best time” and thrived on the discipline and expectation of good behaviour, which got us at Wear It Australia thinking.
Putting on your life jacket every time you go out on the water is about developing a routine and establishing a good habit. This involves a degree of self-discipline and making some simple rules to follow every time you board your craft – which is especially important for young children who watch, learn and copy your behaviour.
Start the practice of putting on a life jacket when your children are very young and set the example by always wearing one yourself. And by the time that they are moody and indifferent teenagers, the habit should be so ingrained and automatic that it becomes second nature for them to always wear a life jacket.
Follow “Courtney’s Rule” and always wear a life jacket.
Even a two year knows that if she wants to go out and have fun in Daddy’s boat, then a life jacket must go on first.
