I don’t quite know what to think of Laurence and Maryanne Sunderland.
On the one hand, sailing is a clean, healthy and beautiful sport. On the other hand it’s dangerous as fuck. On the one hand, this was their daughter Abby’s dream and she’d been training for it since she was 13. On the other hand, 13 is also a good age for watching TV and playing with a Ouija board with your friends in the basement, manipulating the hand of fate shamelessly and giggling like crazy. Is it really a good idea for kids to start training at 13 for an event with this risk level(i.e. death)? On the one hand, her older brother also sailed solo around the world at 16 or so. For a brief time he held the record for youngest to do it, but some kid beat him a couple months later. On the other hand, I think that speaks against the parents. Sure, they’ve pulled this off successfully once before, but looking at it from a more cynical point of view for a second, that means they risked two of their children’s lives. I rather hope Abby doesn’t have any younger brothers or sisters. On the one hand, I don’t want to jump on the public opinion dogpile, I know the Sunderlands have had a rough week. First, when their daughter was missing. I’m sure nobody was more worried than they were and nobody was more relieved when she was found safe. On the other hand, they were planning a reality show with the theme “Our Daredevil Children.”
Move over, Michael and Dina Lohan. You are no longer the worst parents in town.
www.gurukalehuru.com 