Couple to sail around the world with their TODDLER on board - but claim it's no more dangerous than the school run

Kim and Simon Brown plan to spend three years sailing the world

Three-year-old Sienna will be home-schooled by her parents on board

Kim has admitted she feels there has been an air of condemnation about her decision to take her child to sea

The family have quit their jobs and sold their house to fund the trip



A couple who plan sail around the world with their three-year-old daughter have said the dangers are no greater than those posed 'on the school run'.

Kim Brown, 39 and her husband Simon, 47, have faced criticism for potentially putting their toddler in danger by taking her on their three-year, round-the-world tour.



The couple will be sailing in a modest 56ft yacht and will face stormy seas and dangers posed by pirates as they circumnavigate the globe.

Setting sail: Kim Brown considered turning back from the three-year family adventure after her daughter Sienna turned into a 'hell child'

The Browns are setting off from Gibraltar today to sail around the Mediterranean before making the 3,000-mile Atlantic crossing in November to reach the Caribbean.

They plan to educate their daughter, Sienna, during their travels and say their yacht, Britican, will be stocked with medical supplies in case of an emergency.

However, writing on her website, Kim said she feels there has been an air of condemnation about their decision to take a young child on such a long voyage.

Young adventurer: Kim admitted that some criticised her decision to take Sienna to sea while she is so young - and said there had been temper tantrums

Family at sea: Simon was a PE teacher for under 21s at Aylesbury Prison before giving up his job to make his dreams of a round-the-world adventure come true

She wrote: 'People ask, "Is it safe for you to sail to certain locations with your daughter? Will she wear a life jacket? Can she swim?"



'And then we get a few questions regarding health risks such as, "What happens if Sienna gets sick? What will you do if she needs medical attention? What if she gets malaria?"



'For the most part I think people are genuinely interested, but I can’t help but feel that some of the questions are asked with a tone of condemnation.



'Friends and family can’t say, or don’t have the courage to say, "are you crazy - how irresponsible can you get?"



'Of course, I could be way off the mark on this, but I sometimes feel judged when people shout at me, "But what about your child?” '



Sea legs: Sienna Brown's behaviour has improved since Kim found a parenting book online which gave useful advice

The couple gave up their jobs and sold their six-bedroom house in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, to buy the yacht and fund their three-year trip.



Simon, who is originally from London, had been working as a PE teacher for under 21s at Aylesbury Prison while Kim started up two successful currency exchange and property businesses.



US-born Kim grew up in New York state and regularly went boating on Lake Ontario. The couple also practised their sailing skills on The Solent to prepare for the round-the-world voyage.



On board: Simon and Kim set sail from Gibraltar and are currently exploring the Greek islands before crossing the Atlantic later this year

Kim added: 'From what I’ve read, children that spend more time with adults - eg. homeschooled kids - actually tend to have more advanced social skills.

'Rather than learning both the good and bad traits from their school peers homeschooled children mature a bit quicker.

