The parents of Abby Sunderland, the 16-year-old Thousand Oaks girl who attempted to sail solo around the world, want a timeout.

They’d prefer peace and quiet for a while.

A very practical reason is that Marianne Sunderland, Abby’s mother, is due any day to give birth to an eighth child.

The family is obviously tired, too, of constantly living in the spotlight. Abby lost her mast during heavy winds in the Indian Ocean, so the adventure ended prematurely several weeks ago, which brought an avalanche of worldwide media attention.

Although the family never lost confidence that Abby was okay and would be rescued, communications were temporarily severed, and two emergency locator devices were activated.

It didn’t look good, and everyone was encouraged to pray for Abby.

The story improved, thank God, with news that Abby had survived, and she was rescued by a French fishing boat.

In the wake of how it ended, though, came intense media scrutiny. And human nature being what it is, many people were critical. They pointed fingers and shared opinions that the Sunderlands never should have allowed Abby to undertake such a dangerous voyage.

Other people defended them. Maybe the best reaction, however, is no reaction. It was, after all, their decision, not anyone else’s.

Will there be a book and a movie? Probably.

When they’re released, the public will again wonder if a 16-year-old girl should have embarked on a solo sailing trip around the world.

And it still won’t be anyone’s business but the Sunderlands’.