4 year old Diver?

[simmonsjr]

That's awesome! My two oldest (three year old twins) are the same exact way. They already know that they are going to Scuba when they turn ten. They can also identify most of the basic gear: mask, fins, snorkel, tank, and, my favorite, regulator. If they see a picture of a diver on the surface they always ask me why the regulator isn't in their mouth!

My advice is to get the kid into actual swim lessons. They will foster his love for the water, and they are insurance against an accidental drowning. Not to say that any child should be unsupervised around water, but there is a peace of mind in knowing that should something happen they can get back out again.

 

[scubastaci]

My daughter is 7 and can't wait to start diving. She knows the rules of our LDS. At 10yo if she is interested, she can meet with the owner. She has to take her report card with her and show that she is able to maintain good grades.
He is harder on the kids than the adults because he wants them to understand that there are a lot of safety issues and you have to really be aware of them.
Right now she is content with keeping her face in the water and snorkeling. And when she gets ready, she will have no problem with the low vis at our lake since that is what she is used to now.

Now, my 4yo apparently wants to be a salvage diver since he keeps asking for an underwater metal detector!!!

 

[simmonsjr]

There's a lot of difference between puddling around in a family pool in a life vest and putting on dive gear and understanding and performing the concepts of diving. I think I'd wait a while. If not I'd get the kid a good insurance policy which included scuba diving.

The OP is not saying that he will be strapping a tank to his son. What he said was that the thought of getting his own fins and learning to scuba at age ten is proving to be a motivation for his son now.

It looks like he is providing responsible, age-appropriate reinforcement in the mean time.

 

[redacted]

Great, but don't overdo the PFD. He will learn to swim much better without one as long as he has proper help and supervision. Use the PFD when boating or when an adult is not constantly on hand to assist if necessary.

 

[maged_mmh]

Great, but don't overdo the PFD. He will learn to swim much better without one as long as he has proper help and supervision. Use the PFD when boating or when an adult is not constantly on hand to assist if necessary.

+1... I'd ditch the PFD and get a 2mm shorty wet for toddlers.

 

[DandyDon]

Personally, I think the general attitude towards minimum age requirements really fails to recognize that most kids simply take to this stuff very naturally. I wouldn't take a kid down to 100', but I suspect that you could let any average 4 year old scuba around the family pool without any problems at all with an adult supervisor in the water with them.

No way! He was not suggesting that he was actually going to let his kid breath pressurized air below - and I would not!

Although I would caution actually putting a child that young on pressurized air underwater, I do think if the child shows an interest, it's good to encourage that interest in responsible ways.

Here's Christine. She wants to be a scuba diver ... like her daddy ...

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And my friend Doug just couldn't WAIT to get his son outfitted. Here's baby's first backplate (custom-built by Tobin George of DSS) ...

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... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Haha darling pics!

This scares the crap out of me. I believe there are rare children who are ready to dive at 12, but they are extremely rare. I do not believe anyone younger than 12 should ever be diving. Most people should wait at least until they are adults. Mental capacity is merely one aspect of the equation. Emotional maturity is a big factor as is physical development.

I love to dive as much as anyone, but it's simply not worth the potential harm to a child.

Nope, but I don't think he was suggesting that.

My daughter is 7 and can't wait to start diving. She knows the rules of our LDS. At 10yo if she is interested, she can meet with the owner. She has to take her report card with her and show that she is able to maintain good grades.
He is harder on the kids than the adults because he wants them to understand that there are a lot of safety issues and you have to really be aware of them.
Right now she is content with keeping her face in the water and snorkeling. And when she gets ready, she will have no problem with the low vis at our lake since that is what she is used to now.

Now, my 4yo apparently wants to be a salvage diver since he keeps asking for an underwater metal detector!!!

:lol:​

+1... I'd ditch the PFD and get a 2mm shorty wet for toddlers.

:shocked2: Do you have kids?

I'm all for teaching kids to swim as young as possible, and before that Drownproofing the tots, but for my grandkids I strongly encourage PFD for the 5 yo when not under intense supervision and snorkel vest for her older brother - even for the adults when wading in our murky lakes as they do at times.

I recently posted a rant about a news story in Whine & Cheese: Boy, 8, 2 Adult Relatives Drown In SC Pool

 

[Mike Hancho]

I would not have a problem taken my nephew who is 8 under, in my pool if he wanted to. None what so ever.

 

[Walter]

I don't think he was suggesting that.

Of course he was, as were others.

tells me how he is going to get "Yellow SCUBA fins, when I am 10 dad!".

Personally, I think the general attitude towards minimum age requirements really fails to recognize that most kids simply take to this stuff very naturally. I wouldn't take a kid down to 100', but I suspect that you could let any average 4 year old scuba around the family pool without any problems at all with an adult supervisor in the water with them.

He started the Scuba Rangers program at 8, was certified at 10

 

[redacted]

I'm all for teaching kids to swim as young as possible, and before that Drownproofing the tots, but for my grandkids I strongly encourage PFD for the 5 yo when not under intense supervision and snorkel vest for her older brother - even for the adults when wading in our murky lakes as they do at times.

I recently posted a rant about a news story in Whine & Cheese: Boy, 8, 2 Adult Relatives Drown In SC Pool

The key is effective and close adult supervision. The problem is the kids become dependent on the vest and then you have to work to get them out of it for them to become reasonably safe around water. They will eventually want to shed the vest but it can delay the development of their safe swimming abilities.

My youngest learned to swim and walk at the same time. She was always closely supervised (until she was 4 and joined a swim team), never was given a flotation aid, and never was in a pool shallow enough for her to stand.

I had some friends over for the 4th and that included a 3 Y/o who was quite comfortable in the pool and was closely supervised, but would not give up her PFD. They told me they had to be careful because she tended to jump in when she got close to a pool. That is a little scary when the "swimming" ability is dependent on the PFD.

 

[DandyDon]

The key is effective and close adult supervision. The problem is the kids become dependent on the vest and then you have to work to get them out of it for them to become reasonably safe around water. They will eventually want to shed the vest but it can delay the development of their safe swimming abilities.

My youngest learned to swim and walk at the same time. She was always closely supervised (until she was 4 and joined a swim team), never was given a flotation aid, and never was in a pool shallow enough for her to stand.

I had some friends over for the 4th and that included a 3 Y/o who was quite comfortable in the pool and was closely supervised, but would not give up her PFD. They told me they had to be careful because she tended to jump in when she got close to a pool. That is a little scary when the "swimming" ability is dependent on the PFD.

Okay well my daughter's family goes camping & fishing frequently, by lakes, and the granddaughter has no fear - so keeping her in the PFD was safer to me, even with that downside possible. It scares me to see tots wading in murky water for if they vanish, finding them quickly will of course be needed - in a lake or more so ocean with unseen currents possible. Our Texas gulf is lined with sandbars, some larger than others and now inhabited, and rip currents happen!

My 5 yo is making the transition form PFD to swim class just fine. The important thing to me is to keep them alive long enough to learn.