Walking on the dock on New Years’ Eve, the kids and I were talking about how very foggy it was. Considering the vast majority of our Texas time has been hot and humid, fog was a delicious novelty. It was thick and close to the water, and really lovely. And I asked, “if we were at sea, in this fog, what would I be asking you to do?

Rowan replied promptly, “I’d be at the bulkhead, ringing the bell every five minutes.”

Kestrel followed with, “I’d be making sure our lights were on and working”

Aurora, who is not to be outdone, replies with, “I’d bring you and papa gloves.”

And there you have it. Navigation in fog requires certain things, and my kids know what those are. And even if it’s been so long since they sailed in fog that none of them remember actually doing it, they know what to do, and can think it through to contribute positively, even without having been told specifically.

There are times when I feel guilty because my kids don’t have a yard, or a large playspace, or a lot of stuff. But then I am reminded that the concept of opportunity cost is that every choice adds some things and removes others, and that I am so incredibly proud of what they do know, of their overall basic competence in things nautical. I think back to grown-up boat kids that I have met over the years, and I remember marveling at how much they knew, how competent they were, and how much I admired that. Now I see my kids taking their steps in that direction, and I am just giddy happy.