New guy, want family to join the scuba club..

[knotical]

Sorry to hear about your wife’s unpleasant experience in Costa Rica, but that is definitely not the norm.

I’ll join with all the others who suggest that it’s almost universally unwise to teach scuba when you are not a trained/certified/insured instructor. How would you handle the occasional learning difficulties that most students experience from time to time?

And it’s almost universally unwise to teach family members. It usually leads to unnecessary stress.

Suggest you interview a couple of potential instructors, explain your goals and concerns and choose one who will understand your wife’s being “soured for life”.

And as others have suggested, another Discover Scuba might fill the bill.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

I will join the unanimous chorus that you should not be the instructor for you family. The reasons have been stated. Most specifically, being an experienced scuba diver does necessarily mean that you will be a good scuba instructor. Add to that issue of professional liability insurance to cover problems (you have none), and the point just made about teaching family. I did not teach my wife when she decided to dive. After she was certified we have dove hundreds of dives together, and I led and she learned more about diving. But if I had tried to be her initial teacher, I may still be looking for a dive buddy. I think it is unwise and frankly dangerous for anyone to dive without proper training, including your loved ones.
DivemasterDennis