10 year olds and diving

[garyfotodiver]

And just what SCIENTIFIC basis do you have for your belief that an arbitrary (and yes, it's arbitrary, because it's not ethical to do the expirements needed to determine a proper limit for children) depth limit will protect your kids? All the data that is available points to effects you may not see for years. What will you say to your kids if 10 years from now, something does surface? "but it made you so happy!!" Yeah, it's all fun and games until somebody gets hurt.

The single most important thing any parent can do when their kid wants to do/have something, is exhibit the skepticism to contemplate the "why nots" of the matter. In all the testimony I've heard from thrilled parents of 10 year old divers, I've never heard from one who really wrestled with the decision, and that's the real problem.

Then you obviously did not read post #39. Or anything else that I have written on this subject.

I came to my decisions about letting my children dive through much soul-searching, reading, discussion with my wife AND child(ren), and discussion with an instructor whom I trust.

Right now, my 11 year-old, who weighs <70 pounds, wants to dive very much. I think she would be fine, and I almost changed my decision to make her wait until she is 12. My 23 year-old, who showed no interest when she was younger, now wants to learn. She said that she would wait until next year and she and her youngest sister will take the class together.

This is maturity in action.