go back in time, they said the same thing about flying across the Atlantic. Or swimming the English Channel.
 
Frankly, I was on the fence on this one, but I think when a child has a dream, if they are prepared for the challenge to the point where only going for it is left to do, then it’s probably time to try it.
 
How about that teen boy who’s been climbing tthe world’s tallest  mountains since his pre-teens? The youngest kid ever to reach the top of many peaks. Had he died or lost a limb due to getting stuck in foul weather (as is common), would we call his parents, “bad parents?” He’s been lucky, and is talented, and has been successful, so the parents are interviewed on the Today Show.
 
Had this girld been successful, she’d be recognized the world over as the best young sailer in the world. As such, she failed and is somehow now the news’ example of poor parenting.
 
Here’s a signal to the youth of America, don’t try anything unless you know you’ll succeed, otherwise you and your family will be publicly bashed for being reckless.
 
Now, I don’t personally know this girl, or her folks, or her training, so I can’t speak to her readines. But, the idea here is the post’s question, and given the right circumstances, as tough as it would be to say yes, I might say yes. I might also have some additional protection so my child wasn’t alone safety-wise, but was still making the solo sail. Who knows. Some kids can be pretty amazing and ready for such a task. Other 16 year olds aren’t ready to drive a car. Every young person is different, and no answer is the same for every young person. (Even though deep down I’d be terrified even if I knew my child had all the training, all the skills, and all the experiences needed to try for it).