TheGintleman
Registered
As part of an upcoming trip to Cozumel, I’m planning to sign my 11 y/o son up for a discovery dive, in the hopes he’ll take to the hobby like I did and be able to build a diving resume much earlier in life than I. He really enjoys swimming, has developed some basic underwater skills such as mask management, and seems to have an interest in marine life.
The catch, however, is that he seems to occasionally freeze when he is afraid or unsure what to do, and while he has an interest in marine life, he has expressed (irrational) fears about fish and coral. I’m pleased to say he recently had a “close encounter” with a fish (I couldn’t tell you what it was, but it wasn’t any bigger than 8” long) and, despite being afraid, told me he pushed through his fear.
My concern is that, even within the restrictions of a discovery dive, I may be playing with fire by putting him in a situation he isn’t mature enough to handle. I’m well aware there are less than reputable operations out there that have no ethical qualms about tossing an inexperienced individual into a situation they aren’t equipped to handle.
To anyone with first or second hand “discovery dive” experience - is this a safe option for my son, or should I wait until I feel he is better able to regulate his emotions and handle complex situations calmly?
The catch, however, is that he seems to occasionally freeze when he is afraid or unsure what to do, and while he has an interest in marine life, he has expressed (irrational) fears about fish and coral. I’m pleased to say he recently had a “close encounter” with a fish (I couldn’t tell you what it was, but it wasn’t any bigger than 8” long) and, despite being afraid, told me he pushed through his fear.
My concern is that, even within the restrictions of a discovery dive, I may be playing with fire by putting him in a situation he isn’t mature enough to handle. I’m well aware there are less than reputable operations out there that have no ethical qualms about tossing an inexperienced individual into a situation they aren’t equipped to handle.
To anyone with first or second hand “discovery dive” experience - is this a safe option for my son, or should I wait until I feel he is better able to regulate his emotions and handle complex situations calmly?