I totally agree, Phill. What you have described is a great formula for getting kids hooked on sailing -- and staying with it throughout life. I don't think it works to make them crew. I cringe every time a sailor announces the birth of his new baby by referring to it as his "new crew."

I disagree Mary. My kid's been sailing with me since she was 2 months old sleeping in the V-birth. Been with me when I was out in 25 driving the whole Hobie 17 under the waves(not a good day). She's been sleeping on the tramp of my Nacra 5.5 while I'm doing everything I can to depower to keep the hull down so she can take a nap on the tramp. Seen her spin to the hull edge, have an arm fall off and drag, she gets up and repositions her ballast without opening her eyes to resume her nap quietly. She did ask me to keep the boat flat, she was trying to sleep. Was blowing 12-15, I gladly obliged her.
Now has her own Hobie 14, and a Sunfish and races on the local Junior Sailing Team. There are days when she loves sailing, days when she's scared of it, days when she's smart enough to stay off the water, even though I take the Inter_20 out solo. I never thought of her as crew when she was born, still think of her as along for the ride, and she can crew if she wants or just enjoy the day. SHe loves being on the wire, although she's a bit nervous about the balancing act when you fly a hull high. She's learning a spinnaker when the air is light and she can hang on to it. Appreciate the kid-on-the-stick theory from Phil, I haven't let my daughter get much time on the tiller on the fast cats, I'll let you know how that works out.
I think when sailors announce their newborns or Granchildren as New Crew, it doesn't mean they are going to put them to work. It means to me the proud parents consider themselves part of our sailing family, and we're just welcoming another member into that family and their passion.
Just my .02
Cary

Cary,
I've tried it both ways and found that when they have the tiller we both find ourselves in the same world with the same objectives working together as a team.
Things like keeping the boat flat is over shadowed in the order of priorities by the desire to make the boat go faster or pick the next shift so we can get more boats behind us.
Just the way it works for me.