Kids diving? No way!

[chiara]

Diver0001 once bubbled...


I recently saw a 12 year old boy teach our most experienced instructor some new under-water acrobatics after just 3 lessons. He was literally swimming circles around his instructor.

I think there is a huge difference between a 10 and a 12-year old.

I don't think anyone who's not at least a teenager should be allowed near a tank.

Snorkeling is fine, even pool games are fine, but not in the ocean, and please remember that in the Maldives currents are very strong.

 

[WreckWriter]

"taught" me to dive when I was about 10. I got certified a few years later. It wasn't a problem for me but then again, we looked at things differently back then....

WW

 

[MikeFerrara]

I worry far more about the capabilities of the adult supervisor than I do about the abilities of the child. Others can do what they want but I will not certify a child who I know is going to be diving with a novice parant who likely can't be relied on in an emergency either. I guess I'm saying I won't have any part of sending a child out to dive with an adult who needs suprevision.

So far everyone who has inquired about classes for their 10 yr old at our shop were novices themselves. To date I haven't accepted any as students. I have placed continued training for the parant as a condition and they weren't interested which further convinces me that it's something I want no part of. I can't make any decisions for these parants but I can make decisions for me and my decision is to let someone else put their name on the card.

 

[Hallmac]

Being a father of four that have grown up around scuba diving and a S.S.I Scuba Ranger instructor I have no problem with younger divers.

What I have found is around age eight they begin to dream of diving with their families and have no fear of the water.
they may or may not have the maturity to handle the task.

Scuba Rangers like the bubble makers is a kids club that introduces the kids to the world of scuba. They are taught the same skills as in the open water class only they are not required to master the skills. They are to dive only in pool like conditions (clear warm water with great visibility no deeper than 20feet/9 meters) and only with a certified instructor. I try to take the more advanced kids to a local lake once a year when the conditions are right and let them experience a couple of dive with real fish in very shallow water. To them it is a life changing event. To me it is a very long day!!!

What I found with my kids and the kids I teach is that very few (read 1 out of 50) between the age of 8 to 13 are ready for the open water certification. Those that are do a very good job often much better than their parents.

The kids that make the open water junior certification are limited to 40 feet until age 13 and must be with a parent or legal guardian when they dive. At age 15 they can up grade to open water certification status.

equipment is available for even very small kids. We currently use 50 cu ft. cylinders for our smaller students and they have pleanty of air for several hours of shallow diving. I think if the girl in the original post had been equipped correctly it would not have been such a shock.

I enjoy diving with my kids and my young Rangers but it is an added responsibility. Most don't have the ability to assist or handle an emergency. That said I have to add that some of them DO! and should be allowed to enjoy the thing I enjoy, the open water.

I think it basically comes down to the child and current medical findings on how pressure and PP effect their growth.

my 2 cents worth.

Hallmac

 

[WreckWriter]

MikeFerrara once bubbled...
I guess I'm saying I won't have any part of sending a child out to dive with an adult who needs suprevision.

That makes good sense Mike.

WW

 

[chiara]

Some of your answers made me think about something else: one dive guide for twelve divers on a drift dive with fairly strong currents in open ocean on a wall going down to about 30 metres, I was there, I can testify to these things being true.

One of the twelve divers was the kid.

I was a paying customer, so I could have just shrugged at the idea and enjoyed myself, but I suppose I'm a bit too soft.

 

[scuberd]

I recived my Jr. open water cert through PADI when I was 12, the minimum age back then, and I never once experienced any problems. I always (then) dove with my mom, the gear fit me, and I never had any problems. I do think that 10 is a little young, but my little sis went through the program and seems ok, though she has only a handful of dives.

I think it depends on the person more than just the age, I know people in their 20's or 30's who are not mentally or physicaly fit to dive, and I know kids as young as 10-12 who are. When I am an instructor, I will look at every student on a case by case basis, advanced age does not mean a good diver

 

[ScubaDan]

Our whole family dives. Me the wife and the kids all stay together and they love to dive and there one of the reason we started in the first place. They are 11 and 12 and we have had no problem finding exposure suit that fits properly. I agree with diveaustin it’s a good way to spend quality time with your family. I know for a fact that my kids our more competent then most of the adult divers I have seen.

 

[raybo]

got certified at 12. She could have handled it at ten if she'd been so inclined, but hadn't developed the interest. I think that has as much to do with it as anything.

She started swiming in the deep end on her own at 6-7, and is pretty confortable in the water. She's also the youngest in her class because of her birthday, so she's alwasy been around older kids, and I'm sure that contributes to her maturity.

Every child is different. She now has freinds that at 16 & 17 I don't think are personally reaposnsible enough to participate.

I agree with Mike about the parental involvement. We did a week in Roatan, and she never dove without both of us. She still has some to learn about buddy awareness, but being her first trip to the Carribean, we tried to let her just have a good experience.

It really is great to have the whole family involved.

 

[ScubaDan]

raybo once bubbled...

It really is great to have the whole family involved.

Yes it is