The biggest trouble on this voyage beyond getting sick of each other's company is lack of community. But we live in the 21st century, and Mom is a software engineer! We have the technology we can build it!
Problem #1
Phone calls aren't enough. We've all sat through teleconferences and speaker phone calls with distant family. If you're like my family, you lose interest and concentration in about one minute. But, if you put a live face with the voice, all of a sudden the conversation never ends.
Problem #2
Conversation isn't enough. Humans need to interact with each other. How to interact when we are each adrift in our own oceans?
Problem #3
MOOOOMMMMM! I'm bored! MOOOOMMMMM! DAAAADDDD! He's looking at me! Quit it! I want a turn! There's nothing to do! (Never mind the 50 board games, a house full of toys, 10 computers, and 3 video game systems). And OH MY GOSH!!!! Mommy and Daddy's special cabinet is empty and stores are all closed and won't do drone delivery to our little scow! (not really a good solution to that one...bathtub gin?)
SOLUTIONS!!!
- I spent a week scavenging below decks and scraped together a Minecraft server so our crew can play with their friends in a safe, controlled space where everyone knows each other. They can each have their own worlds so they don't have to share. See the Minecraft page for details if you want to be let onto the island.
- Google Meet, Discord, and Zoom for face-to-face hanging out when playing online. This typing thing is bad for your hands and over rated. I will insist on video or voice meetings while playing online with friends. For play hangouts though, no Kids Messenger. It's too distracting. The kids spend too much time doing that anyways. We need multiple ways to melt their brains.
- Video "popcorn reading" and snack group. I want to get a book group going where the kids take turns reading the book, then discuss what they read while they all eat snacks over a video call. Don't know what "popcorn reading" is? Check it out. You know what? The captains can get an adult book group together, too.
- Enforced daily exercise with island hopping while leaving notes on the boat docks with sidewalk chalk so other sailors know we were there and thinking of them.
