Living aboard with Children

[Dreamer87]

Hi everyone, I'm new here and will be new to living aboard here shortly.

My question is based on Children and whether it's considered illegal to have your children living aboard with you in the eyes of the state your in.

The reason I'm asking is because my wife and I will be attempting to transition into boat life within the next few months and we have a feeling her parents aren't going to be fans of it and will attempt to take our children from us for it. We're currently in FL, will the state deem us unfit and remove the kids from our care for neglect and deem us homeless? Our children are 2 and 3.

Thanks for any advice, both personal and legal.

[tkeithlu]

Welcome to the forum, Dreamer.

I can't advise you on legal matters. I live in Flordia and have never heard of such.

The agency you would want to approach is the Florida Department of Children and Families

https://www.myflorida.com/accessflorida/

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by Dreamer87

Hi everyone, I'm new here and will be new to living aboard here shortly.

My question is based on Children and whether it's considered illegal to have your children living aboard with you in the eyes of the state your in.

The reason I'm asking is because my wife and I will be attempting to transition into boat life within the next few months and we have a feeling her parents aren't going to be fans of it and will attempt to take our children from us for it. We're currently in FL, will the state deem us unfit and remove the kids from our care for neglect and deem us homeless? Our children are 2 and 3.

Thanks for any advice, both personal and legal.

Hi, Dreamer87, and welcome to CF. It is Florida's laws that will apply for you.

I am hoping your wife's family isn't going to cause the rift that would happen if they do that. However, finding out the laws that apply to taking children away from parents in your state should give you an idea of what to say to Child Protective Services to forestall such action. You have rights involving your children, but I doubt grandparents do. [I come from Calif., and grandparents did not have rights there, when I left.] Grandparents are often accepted for custody in loco parentis (in place of parents) when there is no parent still alive, or if they are in jail.

Be prepared to show the social workers all the safety gear you have relative to the kids, and explain how you use it. Explain the sanitary system the boat has. Explain the gas stove. Show them the separate berths for the kids. Address their legitimate concerns. Encourage your good lady wife to stand up to her parents. The kids are hers, too, and she will raise them with you. She might have to tell them that a lot before they believe or accept it.

Good luck with it, family problems can really get you down.

Ann