Tech Diving w/ School-aged kids

[rddvet]

Who on here actively tec dives while being the parent of school-aged kids?

Context. Kind of fell into technical diving last year and have done a few 'fun' tec dives since then so I guess sticking with it. I have two kids (11 and 8) and have made it a habit of asking if folks have kids when in tec-ish groups, and it seems on the rare side. Mostly seems to be folks that don't (or don't yet) have kids, or folks where the kids are quite a bit older. What's the consensus on here?

Always wear a condom cath in and out of the water. Kids are annoying, always want stuff, and take up money that could go to a scooter or rebreather.

17 and 15 year old. mod 2 ccr, hypoxic oc, cave. You don’t stop being your own person when you are a parent. No Dad isn’t babysitting his own kids.

Good on you. I was joking above, but I chose to never have kids because I see way too many people lose their sense of self and just become a mom or dad with no other purpose or personal interests other than their kids. I've known most of my life I'm selfish and live to enjoy myself and my hobbies, so I made the no kids decision forever ago.
Its nice to hear a parent that actually has their own expensive hobbies and personal enjoyment.

 

[boulderjohn]

I want to pile on with those who talk about the time commitment needed for a young family. When my children were still living at home, they took up so much of my time I could not possibly have been a technical diver. I did not become even a serious OW diver until the children were nearly grown. I eventually became a technical instructor, and I never had a student with younger children.

I have an elderly friend who told me his father was dedicated to golf and the golf club to which he belonged. That's where he was on the weekends, and my friend resented that his whole life. It is why he refused to learn to play the game.

 

[BabyLitigator]

Always wear a condom cath in and out of the water.

Why? The cath has a hole at the end of it.

 

[lostsheep]

Who on here actively tec dives while being the parent of school-aged kids?

Context. Kind of fell into technical diving last year and have done a few 'fun' tec dives since then so I guess sticking with it. I have two kids (11 and 8) and have made it a habit of asking if folks have kids when in tec-ish groups, and it seems on the rare side. Mostly seems to be folks that don't (or don't yet) have kids, or folks where the kids are quite a bit older. What's the consensus on here?

I have two kids in elementary school and I tech dive as often as our schedules allow. I look forward to the day I can do it with them if they so choose. I’m raising my kids to love exploring the natural world and to not be afraid.

If recent experiences are any indication, the drive to and from is more dangerous than the diving; I have zero intention of stopping either.

 

[Sascha314]

Dad of an almost four year old. My wife is not diving.
I am not a technical diver, yet. But I am considering it. Just not sure yet fornthe balance of time, training time/experience, risk and of course the costs. The latter I find even important in a relationship without kids. If one is spending lots of money for a hobby it might be a problem... unless you earn lots of money.

 

[Lorenzoid]

My child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were wrecks to dive and fills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talking 'fore I knew it and as he grew
He'd say, "I'm gonna dive like you, dad
You know, I'm gonna dive like you"
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
"When you coming home, dad?" "I don't know when
We'll get together then, you know we'll have a good time then"

(With apologies to Harry Chapin)

 

[rddvet]

Why? The cath has a hole at the end of it.

It was dumb humor, you're supposed to go with it. Its called aritstic license

 

[Jhgt2d]

I have a 9 and 7 year old and I started my OC tech journey in '21 and jumped to my rebreather in '24. I make sure to include them in every trip we go on. So far they have loved our summers full of dive trips.

I don't know I would say I am a really active tech diver, I was only have to get into serious deco on about 11 dives last year. But I try and hit as many 130'+ trips as I can find. It gets rough trying to find people to dive with at those depths and I am hoping that the deeper certifications will open up new diver groups for me to connect with.

This year I'll be out on the great lakes for 10 dive trips, or as many as 27 days of diving if the weather is on my side. This is my 2nd year of coordinating dive trips since my OC dive shop instructor retired and moved down to cave country. The pace is busy, but I run every trip by my wife to make sure I am not overloading her or the kids.

I have no illusions that I'll be able to keep this pace up indefinitely. At some point my kids won't want to spend all summer with their lame dad and I won't be able to convince them to join for yet another summer trip. I just enjoy their eagerness while I can and spend as much of my time off with them as I can get.

On the plus side, my oldest has asked me 3 times this year if he 'can take his next scuba class' after he thoroughly enjoyed his discover scuba last May. I may end up with at least 1 of my kids inheriting my love of diving. One can only hope.