I loved watching Jacques Cousteau re-runs on the tv. Those men were like gods to me...on a par with astronauts.
Sure... you can argue that kids should learn to dive at the age of 10, or younger. Give them what they want. Why wait? Why earn it? Personally, I think you'd be robbing them of the chance to learn the true joy of the water..
A few things. First, funny you should mention Jacques Cousteau. He taught his son, Philippe, how to dive at age 5. By age 7, he was accompanying his father on world-wide expeditions and diving almost daily. Let's see, that was about 1946 through 1948. So much for the "modern generation."
Second, why would you make your kid "earn" something by withholding it? If the child does well in school, is athletic and wants to dive with YOU - especially if they have the appropriate maturity - why would they need to "earn" the privilege? That's like saying, as a parent, they need to "earn" your love. Sorry, that don't cut it.
Third, let's move away from diving and make a comparison, shall we? How about riding bikes? Let's start with the bad news. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, from 1975 (the year I started diving) through 2008, 11,290 children aged 16 or younger
DIED while riding bikes. In a 2004 study, the Consumer Product Safety Commission reported that 297,729 bicycle accidents resulted in Emergency Room visits for children ages 14 and under. Another study found that nearly 60 percent of all childhood bicycle-related deaths occur on minor roads, usually within one mile of the kid's home. This same study found that the total annual cost of traffic-related bicyclist death and injury among children ages 14 and under is now more than $2.2 billion. Now the good news. Bicycle helmets and rider safety programs decreased child fatalities from a high of 675 in 1975 to a low of 94 in 2008. In 1975, kids outpaced adults killed on bikes, 2 to 1. In 2008, adults outpaced kids, 6 to 1.
Want to talk about car accidents next?
How many parents posting in this thread have ever considered that letting your 10 year old ride a bike around the neighborhood or driving him or her to school regularly puts them at significant risk for injury or death?
My point is that there are PLENTY of things in this wonderful world of ours that can injure or kill your child much faster and easier than diving. Don't let the tail wag the dog. Sure, teaching a kid how to dive safely is a significant undertaking that involves parental time, commitment and expense. But it can be quite safe and very fun. It can also build significant trust and understanding between the two, as well.
Think about that next time your 10 year old goes riding down the street alone on his or her bike...