Each of my two kids have been cruising since they were six months old, and as they enter their teenage years, I think cruising has been the best experience for them.
Cruise ships are often referred to as "floating cities" and that analogy holds up with raising kids, because learning to navigate cities (and the world) is part of growing up.
As my kids grew older, how they cruised changed and a certain amount of independence started to creep into it all. We like cruising together as a family, but there are times they want to do their own thing (and my wife and I do too).
In observing my kids at home, it's clear their years of cruising truly helped them with important life skills.
Letting go a little bit at a time
I remember the first time I let my kids go on their own to go down to Sorrento's to grab pizza and then come back to the cabin.
Today, that's not a big deal, but as a parent it was scary letting them walk down a few decks and back. But it taught them (and us) how to operate.
They had cruised enough with us at that point to understand where things are located, how to act in public, and what to expect when ordering the food.
Slowly, we introduced little trips and "missions" for them. It gave them fleeting moments of independence to feel grown up, without letting them go completely on their own.
Pizza runs, trips to the ice cream machine, or an arcade trip are all examples of giving them the trust to be on their own and know how it feels.
Trust builds independence
As they got older, we gave our kids more freedom to do their own thing onboard the ship.
We started off by allowing them to be alone when with friends. I joked as a group, they'd all be too annoying to kidnap.
Giving them more leeway allowed them to enjoy that freedom, but they also understood it was based on trust.
I think giving them spurts of time to be alone on the ship was safer than doing the same thing in public places on land, like a mall or Starbucks.
There's risk with everything, but cruise ships are more self-contained. Nonetheless, the guiding principles of being out without parental supervision is the same.
We give them rules to prevent them from being "those kids"
Because we cruised with them when they were little, we all quickly noticed kids behaving badly on ships.
Most of it is typical teenage antics, like hanging out in elevators, hanging out in stairwells, or packing hot tubs with friends. But we've seen and read about teens who clearly cross the line of bad behavior.
With my kids now around teenage years, they're well aware we do not condone acting running amuck, being obnoxious, or pressing all the buttons in the elevator.
They've earned their freedom, and it comes with expectations and rules meant to keep them safe and not be a problem.
Communication is the most important rule. We have regular check-ins, as well as curfews.
We also told them they're never allowed in anyone else's cabin, nor inviting anyone else into their cabin.
I don't lock down their SeaPass card to charge, but they also know to ask before buying anything.
Luckily, my kids are more interested in simply hanging out with their friends than being loud and problematic. And I'll try to invite friends from home to cruise with us so that they have a built in network of friends that keeps them from feeling lonely.
Seeing the world is so important for kids
My kids learned independence on the ship, but they've been exposed to different cultures thanks to cruising.
I've taken my kids around the Caribbean, Alaska, and Europe, and there's no question in my mind it's opened their minds to the world beyond their home.
Meeting different people, picking up words in different languages, and simply seeing how the rest of the world works are lessons no school can teach but are just as important.
They meet all sorts of people on the ship from all over the world, but going to cities and villages outside the United States is something that can truly shape someone.
By taking them to different countries, I hope it plants a seed of a love of travel and demonstrates how valuable traveling is.
I think it finally clicked with my oldest daughter on our cruise in Europe when she was talking to a friend she made on the ship. She casually mentioned all the cruises she's taken, and her friend was in astonishment how much she's been able to travel and said how lucky she was.
When a peer says it, it resonates more with teens, and it made me proud as a parent she appreciated all of the cruising.
