How far would you take a loved one who wants to become a diver?

[Cthippo]

I know this is going to be contentious, but I'm curious on people's thoughts...

If you had a spouse, child, etc who wanted to become a diver, how far down that learning path would you be comfortable taking them before handing them over to an instructor?

Which skills do you think you can adequatly teach as a non-instructor versus which ones actually need a professional? Is it all about liability or do instructors actually know more than experienced divers?

 

[scubadada]

I did a lot of swimming and snorkeling with both my kids when they were young. I turned them over to a professional for scuba training

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

As a now retired instructor, I would be perfectly comfortable taking my own kids or my own spouse into my own pool with all of our own gear and teaching them all of the basics prior to them taking an "official" certification course.

 

[lexvil]

All the way to the mental health clinic.

 

[Cthippo]

I did a lot of swimming and snorkeling with both my kids when they were young. I turned them over to a professional for scuba training

Did you train them in things like mask clearing, equalization, etc?

 

[Gone for diving]

Took a customer diving in his pool, because he wanted to try it,
Then a few times in a canal.
He was hooked, bought a bunch of used gear, I filled his tanks, he probably dove for 2-3 years with me,
Then he wanted to go diving down south, took a course before he went.

The Instructor, realized he didn't need to baby sit. ( we where doing 110ft dives, and he is a natural in the water)

He is my main dive buddy, and he has a boat.

If I hadn't taken him in a pool and in open water, there's no chance he would ever have tried diving.

 

[Gone for diving]

Did you train them in things like mask clearing, equalization, etc?

Yes if they can't do that why pay for a course

 

[Boarderguy]

I have taken my son, 13 at the time, off the dock at my parent's house. It's fun to see the bass hanging out in the grass and green water. This is done with him on my primary and me on my air2. My wife is OW but I take her as my buddy down to whatever depth is needed for that particular dive.

 

[Tracy]

None, I even farmed out my own wife to another instructor. I don't need that kind of headache in my life.
(I am actually teaching her a rebreather crossover next month and I very much not looking forward to that)

 

[scubadada]

I did a lot of swimming and snorkeling with both my kids when they were young. I turned them over to a professional for scuba training

Did you train them in things like mask clearing, equalization, etc?

Yes, all part of snorkeling