dgray

My wife took our daughters (2 & 5yr) out to our cabin this past weekend with her best friend out on an island in the middle of the ocean. Her best friend whom I respect wanted to take my 5 yr old out in a two person Kayak. I told my wife that I didn't want her in a two person kayak. That I though it was extremely dangerous. I think it was reckless and I am upset that it happen despite my wife telling me o.k. that she wouldn't let him take her out. I am at a lost as to how to handle it? Any advise? Am I overreacting?

Dadu2004

You definately need to sit down and have a talk with your wife. The fact that she allowed your daughter to go out after telling you she wouldn't is extremely disrespectful.

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TabascoNatalie

i've heard of families who go kayaking with children as young as one. it's not dangerous if the child wears apropriate safety gear and the kayaker isn't a beginner.

somehow kayaking accidents are alost unheard about, contrary to children and adults drowning whlie swimming.

IADad

I'll agree TNm that kayaking can be done safely and presumebly this was a responsible person and all, so I'm not so sure this was wreckless endangerment, BUT I wholeheartedly agree Dadu. You had a discussion with your wife and apparently reached an agreement and then she disregarded it. When you can have the discussion without being mad or overly emmotional about it, I think you need to have a discussion about decision making in your marriage. Examples like this aren't healthy for your marriage and aren't healthy for your children to learn either.

This doesn't have to be the end of the world or a big blow-out. The topic can be discussed openly and thoughtfully, but I think the discussion does need to happen.

So, are you overreacting? No in terms of there being an issue with decision making, as for the safety of the situation, maybe a little.

TabascoNatalie

makes a difference if you both AGREED or just YOU SAID SO

Jeremy+3

Your wife shouldn't go behind your back, I personally would never let a 5 year old in a kayak, we have a lot of kayaking deaths in the UK every year.

Xero

Well I would be personally a little nervous about my five year old not only going an a Kayak, also going where I couldn't see him, AND with anyone besides me or his dad. I'm not calling kayaking dangerous, I really have no idea. But it LOOKS dangerous to me, and I guess its just one of those "rather safe than sorry" situations for me. If I was taking him or his father was taking him out to do it, then sure. I don't trust anyone else with my children in questionable safety conditions. Sorry, just the way I am.

Other than that, I would be completely ticked if his father lied directly to me. So I can see why he would be angry at his wife, because she said specifically that she wouldn't let him go and then let him go anyway. That would have me pretty angry. Not that it was a HUGE deal, but that it mattered to me and that she lied.

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motiv8r

The wording of the original post could be interpreted that her best friend suggested the idea but the child never actually went out. Is he angry that the best friend even suggested the idea?

Or is he angry that his wife disregarded his wish that his child not go out? Hopefully dgray can clarify.

In any case, if the water was very calm and someone always stayed near the kid, there's not too much risk I imagine. I'll guess the kayaking happened on the ocean rather than a lake or river on the island? The risk of a rogue wave or tsunami is pretty small, but even moderate surf could be trouble.