''DON'T PANIC & PLEASE DONT SCREAM''

[Mike NZ]

The last time I took my 14 year old daughter fishing we had two encounters, #1. fish and lots of them the sea was alive with a great work up and #2 a sloppy sea. It wasn't dangerous but was uncomfortable, other boats our size were hooking in to it and then it started. Screaming of such a pitch it must be a fish hook in an eye, someones gone overboard? Nope everythings just fine and dandy. But not in her mind 'Aaaahhhhh Dad were all going to die'. Ignore her, land another fish, check the conditions, fish on. 'Aaaaahhhh' stay cool Mike I tell myself. 'Dad lets go in' is the mutiness cry. Another fish, After several minutes I respond, Honey shut up we are all right stop your yelling. Aaaahhhhh is the response, now she's got my attention she goes up a gear. I loose it, Lesson #1 never yell at someone who is yelling to get them to stop yelling they just keep yelling. OK I'll drop you off on shore and pick you up later. A little put out we wind in the lures and try to offload the noise machine. Bow to shore a small jump to freedom and all will be well. Jump, jump why won't she jump too freaked out, times gone we get caught by the slop and start skewing sideways now its real easy to get off. I'm now in the drink trying to get the boat turned around and off the sand. Success eventualy comes I order the mutineer back on board I don't feel much like fishing anyway. Wet and dejected we all go home. Now a lot of learning was done by all and every cloud hass a silver lining. The daughter is not allowed on the boat and doesn't want to come again anyway. And I don't need a bigger boat to fit all the kids in now. Don't Panic. Mike

 

[crab bait]

Re: ''DON'T PANIC & PLEASE DONT SCREAM''

aren't they great ... scaredy little things.. with the screamin' , complainin' & the constant ' i need to pee ' breaks.. makes 'father & daugther' day a wonderful thing..<br /><br />your rite about that 'bigger boat' .. who needs it ..!!

 

[88spl]

Re: ''DON'T PANIC & PLEASE DONT SCREAM''

I had an encounter last weekend. Both my son 15yrs and daughter 13yrs, and Meg (lab 1yr) went to the lake at my daughters request. Launched boat and proceeded to the other side of lake. Have been going this rout 100 times, but this time hit a stump....bam.....I killed motor and went to back of boat to see if takeing on any water.....none. The kids freeked.....asked if we are going to sink. I told them all was ok, and that I'll swim under the boat just to check it out, its then my daughter began to cry, "no dad you cant go" I do'nt know for the life of me why she is so worried about my swimming under the boat? Then its....how do you know we wont sink? Look both of you...are we takeing on water.....no we are not. Well just to make them feel more at ease, I tell then we dont have to go to the other side, we'll just ride around over there. Then bam....hit another stump, not quite as bad as the first stump we hit but neverthe less, Dad we should go in, check out the boat, yea dad we should go. So I did. No visible damage, just the mental damage. As of this day neither has asked to go to the lake. My wife can't swim and does'nt go, now the kids. Oh well, me and the dog I guess, as she has no say!

 

[PDS]

Re: ''DON'T PANIC & PLEASE DONT SCREAM''

88spl, trust the lab, at least he can swim, and maybe catch some fish. Take photos of your trips and show them to your family(proof that there is fun on the water) Take pictures of other teens in the water, that will change the opinion of your 14 year old. As for your wife, tell her how great she looks in a bikini on your boat Hope this helps

 

[88spl]

Re: ''DON'T PANIC & PLEASE DONT SCREAM''

I just dont know anymore PDS, I've tried so hard to find common ground with the kids, the boat outings were very special to me. But then we have spent so much time out at the lake this summer, perhaps its time to give it a brake. My daughter, I cant spend enough time with her, with all this going on today (missing girls found dead) I am scard to death. I cant stand for her to go play in the front yard. Its sickening. It took 8 days for the jury to diliberate on the Van Dam girl killer. I'm sorry ya'll, its just these freeks just seem to be crawlin out of the wood work.

 

[12Footer]

Re: ''DON'T PANIC & PLEASE DONT SCREAM''

No,88. The freaks have allways been there, just media emphasis has shifted. It's like the shark scare last spring,here in Florida. Nothing different but new coverage,and the parties involved.<br />I went through the same fears with my kids when they were that age in the 80's.<br />I never see them much these days,as they're all making thier own families. Now, my son worries about his 3year old, and so do I. I have no advise for him,iether. Just that "we do what we can,and pray".<br /><br />Sometimes I wish they would just stop growing so we can catch-up, but they don't..And before you can take the dress you bought her back for a larger size, the styles and tastes have changed,so she won't wear it anyway..Go figure

 

[Mike NZ]

Re: ''DON'T PANIC & PLEASE DONT SCREAM''

Excerpt from "The Sea Wolf" by Jack London...<br />We pick up our story in thick fog on San Francisco harbour and we're about to get hit mid-ship; "The Martinez keeled over sharply, and there was a crashing and rending of timber. I was thrown flat on the wet deck, and before I could scramble to my feet I heard the screams of the women. This it was, the most indescribable of blood curdling sounds that threw me into a panic. It is a picture, and I can see it now; the jagged edges of the hole in the side of the cabin, through which the grey fog swirled and eddied; the empty upholstered seats, littered with all evidences of sudden flight, such as packages, umbrellas and wraps, and finally the screaming bedlam of women. This it was, the screaming of the women, that most tried my nerves. A tangled mass of women with drawn white faces and open mouths, is shrieking like a chorus of lost souls, while the red faced man screams "Shut-up, shut-up".These women were of my own kind, like my mother and sisters with the fear of death upon them and unwilling to die. And I remember that the sounds they made reminded me of the squealing<br />of pigs under the knife of the butcher, and I was struck with horror at the vividness of the analogy. These women, capable of the most sublime emotions, of the tenderest sympathies, were open mouthed and screaming. they wanted to live; they were helpless, like rats in a trap and they screamed, the horror of it drove me out on to the deck.".....................Guess my trip out wasn't that bad after all!

 

[88spl]

Re: ''DON'T PANIC & PLEASE DONT SCREAM''

My 13 yr old asked if we could go to the lake tomorrow after school.........yeehaw. Bring lab, she had a **** of a leap of the bow, you know, the titanic thing.

 

[RICKRICK1]

Re: ''DON'T PANIC & PLEASE DONT SCREAM''

Learned my lesson, on adult to one kid on the boat. tried to keep up with 9 and 10 year old boys once, kept mebusier that the one arm paper hanger. Now only one kid on boat at a time, can devote time to quality instead of quanity.

 

[88spl]

Re: ''DON'T PANIC & PLEASE DONT SCREAM''

I find that better, one kid at a time, as one wants to go fishing the other swimming, over here, no over there. Myself, me and my sister were alot closer than these two. It all started at the kitchen table 10 yrs ago, why is my glass half full, and the other, why is mine half empty, but both could'nt eat all that was put on thier plates!