Teenagers and Diving

[Tortuga James]

As the Father of 3 diving kids, 15, 17 and 20, I just want to relay to every one of you divers out there with kids, get them into to diving.

Teenagers are notorious for impulsive, poor choices and excessive risk taking.

Don't let that scare you. I think it should be a law that all teenagers have to get certified to dive. I am so impressed with how the whole process taught them self reliance, responsibility for their own safety and improved self confidence. My kids are great divers and I am so proud of that.

And, I get to dive while getting credit for spending time with my kids. And (at least underwater) I don't have to yell at them and they can't talk back!!

 

[spectrum]

I am happy that your children have joined you in the sport and I agree it holds lots of valuable "lifes lessons".

While I have encoraged my girls and have certainly been an entusiastic role model along with my wife they simply are not interested at 16 & 19. I think the same advice regarding not pushing significant others holds true here. I suspect you are speaking with pride and enthusiam when you mention making it law for teenagers to dive, that would be a mistake.

Pete

 

[Sharky1948]

I took my daughter on a liveaboard for a week during one of the more challenging high school years. I figured since we would be togther 24X7 we would either bond or end up not speaking for a while! It was a wonderful experience! We definitely bonded.

My son can take or leave diving; but, we do long distance bike riding together. It's great to have shared activities!

ps. The icing on the cake was seeing a couple of dolphins on the very first dive.

 

[Tortuga James]

I suspect you are speaking with pride and enthusiam when you mention making it law for teenagers to dive, that would be a mistake.

Pete

Absolutely.

They all asked to dive. I agree that forcing someone would be a mistake. My wife dives as well, but she doesn't have the same love as I do for the sport, and I only had to take her once against her wishes (again there was no forcing, just a lot of persuasion) and I regret that. She was not comfortable diving in the lower viz of inshore NC waters. I have to accept that she is always going to be a "resort diver".

 

[bubble-head]

One of the greatest gifts my parents ever gave me when I was 14 was my OW and AOW diving lessons. At 35, I am still diving and love it as much as ever. I think it helped me stay focused and out of trouble when I was growing up. Working with teens everyday, I can say if they seem mature and responsible enough to dive, they probably are.

 

[shellim123]

I am getting my kids an intro to diving certificate for Christmas to let them try it out and let them see what diving is all about. My daughter 17 knows about this and is very excited. Me too!!!

 

[DeputyDan]

Diving has made both my kids more aware of the risks associated with many activities entirely unrelated to diving.

My younger child has actually told me while watching folks in the pool at our LDS that she would never ever dive with them - they were too dangerous - she was right.

 

[KBLee]

Im 16. Just recieved my final certification card yesterday in the mail.

 

[allistoy]

I have to agree my grandaughter was certified at 11 and I enjoy diving with her anytime she's in the teenager mood. It a real rush to watch her hunt for and find unique underwater creatures. Were off to 2 weeks in Aruba on Friday and she now is 14 so it will be interesting to see if the thrill is still in her blood on this trip I sure hope it is.

 

[almitywife]

over a year ago on another thread i was saying that we discovered that my then 12yr old neice could not read and had shattered confidence & self asteem (we had broken hearts over it)

to work with her we got her a tutor and we put her on the padi program... snorkling, bubble makers, reading OW manual together every weekend plus the tutor and in almost no time we turned her around 100%.

she still diving with us (accepted to a selective highschool!), has her own gear and blossomed as a young person with leadership confidence now

im not for all kids learning to scuba... each child has to be judged on their own merit but im so glad we had the faith in her and she showed herself to be a person we know she could be

cheers