grandizer52
Contributor
Tell her there's shopping involved...you get shoes
How to present scuba to 13 year old daughter without freaking her out...
- Thread starter chickweed
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Personally, I think 13 is grossly underage for this activity. A thirteen year old is not emotionally prepared to make life or death decisions that, while unlikely, can easily come about in this sport. I make a point not to dive on boats or with groups where children are present.
Crush
Contributor
You should take the course with her. It seems as though she is inspired enough to pass. I hope that you are as happy with the experience as she will be. Her ability to dive (according to standards) will be greatly limited unless you take and pass the course as she will only be able to dive with a certified parent or instructor until she is 16 years old. Than being said, I doubt that you will be any safer than her as a diver if she is mature and you both only have 10 dives under your belts.
I'd forget about class costs, etc., and interview the potential instructors and ask them how they would deal with your daughter not passing. If they wink and assure you that they will pass her no matter what I'd head out to talk to the next instructor. If it was my daughter (and it hopefully will be in two more years) I would not want her to be certified to dive unless a trained professional who was emotionally detached from the situation thought that, in their professional opinion, she could handle it.
I'd forget about class costs, etc., and interview the potential instructors and ask them how they would deal with your daughter not passing. If they wink and assure you that they will pass her no matter what I'd head out to talk to the next instructor. If it was my daughter (and it hopefully will be in two more years) I would not want her to be certified to dive unless a trained professional who was emotionally detached from the situation thought that, in their professional opinion, she could handle it.
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Thanks for the insights... very helpful. I think we are going to do this. We will do the online course, do the classwork and pool work here in Nashville and then plan a daddy/daughter trip for a long weekend in September. The dive shop said that that Destin might be a good place to do our open water dives for certification and that sounds like a fun place to go for our trip...
Crush
Contributor
Have a great time!
ScubaSteve1962
Contributor
Hey helicopter parent
if you're worried, take her somewhere that she can do discover scuba under real diving situations. Somewhere that she actually gets to dive in the ocean, and join her. But if you let her go a little bit, you'll be surprised how she's able to do things on her own. The Florida Keys would be a good easy location.
if you're worried, take her somewhere that she can do discover scuba under real diving situations. Somewhere that she actually gets to dive in the ocean, and join her. But if you let her go a little bit, you'll be surprised how she's able to do things on her own. The Florida Keys would be a good easy location.
RonFrank
Contributor
Have fun. Scuba is a great activity. All it takes is.... money!
First off, I think it's utterly fantastic that your 13 year old daughter has something SHE wants to do. As someone who had goals at 13 that her parents didn't think much of, and didn't support, I'd highly suggest you just go with it. If she has a history of not following through, or balking at work, tell her you'll buy her the class, but if she doesn't put forth the effort to complete it, she has to pay you back (and then make her work to do it!)
Peter has certified a couple of very motivated 13 year old girls who have done very well. A lot has to do with their physical strength and stamina, and some with their mental and emotional maturity. But even attempting it and finding herself overfaced will be a learning experience. One of the problems with kids today, I think, is that no one ever lets them fail. And if she finds diving to be exciting and wonderful, you have found the most useful thing of all -- a motive to encourage your daughter to work at something, or for something.
Peter has certified a couple of very motivated 13 year old girls who have done very well. A lot has to do with their physical strength and stamina, and some with their mental and emotional maturity. But even attempting it and finding herself overfaced will be a learning experience. One of the problems with kids today, I think, is that no one ever lets them fail. And if she finds diving to be exciting and wonderful, you have found the most useful thing of all -- a motive to encourage your daughter to work at something, or for something.
grandizer52
Contributor
I just got back from deployment and a guy that got certed while we visited some lousy place (saipan) terrible conditions (flat) terrible vis (unlimited) came home to hawaii and got his 3 kids certed, one was a 13 year old girl....to boys but...you toss them in the water and you got a new calypso club...but he just gave his little girl some encouragement...also there was a lady instructor I think helps, cause noone expects a girl to yell and scream at you
OP,
A 13-year-old's physiology and lack of psychological maturity, both, concern me, too. I'm not certain I would allow my own children to become certified at age 13 because of this concern.
Diversteve has a great suggestion, imho! If after your daughter does the discover scuba diver experience she is still motivated to pursue certification, you can approach things slowly.
My own girls are nine (twins) and 11. They have been taking weekly swimming lessons since age two. Two Christmases ago, they received masks and snorkels; this is their second summer using these in swimming pools. Last summer they breathed off scuba for the first time in my parents' backyard pool. Next month they will receive fins and weight belts (shhhhhh—don't tell them!) and they will again breathe off scuba when we visit my parents. The plan is to have them work with masks, fins, snorkel, and weight belts over the next year, and, if things work out, to take them to the Keys or to the Caribbean on a snorkeling vacation next summer.
Bottom line is, there is a lot your daughter can be doing to prepare for a scuba certification course, before actually enrolling in a scuba certification course. While she is spending a couple of years doing this prep work, she will be physically and emotionally/psychologically maturing, which imho is a good thing!
Safe Diving,
rx7diver
P.S. One other thing: If I weren't a reasonably advanced diver, I'm not sure I would be comfortable having my young children pursue scuba diving. I fully expect that, once they become certified (if they do become certified), then initially I, myself, will be the one diving with them for their safety.
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