Finally, personally, I don't think I've ever met a 10 year old who should be underwater on scuba. Just my 2 cents.
I think it really depends. My best student ever was a 14 year old girl. God damm she was awesome, but she had a background in competitive synchronized swimming which had an impact on her picking up scuba diving. When we dropped down to OW1, she was there right with me. I could see the utter joy in her eyes. She was the most coachable student I've ever had. She absorbed knowledge and skills like a sponge. She had her buoyancy, trim, and finning dialed in right from the beginning. She had zero issue with any of the skills. She was just a complete natural and I take zero credit in her acquisition of dive skills.
Again, she was "only" 14 when she learned to dive in the Puget Sound (she did her open water dives in a dry suit). She had the mental and physical maturity to dive, no doubt about it. Could she have learned to dive at the age of 12 in the Puget Sound? I'd put money on it that she could. At 10 in the Puget Sound? I won't say one way or the other as there is tremendous emotional, mental, and physical growth in those 4 years. It wouldn't surprise me at all if she did. At 10 in the tropics? Most likely yes.
I will say, she had awesome parents who were heavily involved with her development. Her mom was great. And her dad, I worked with him years prior. This was a very much loved child, but not a coddled one. As a father of a 3-year old girl, I'd love for my own to resemble my student when she's similar in age (my daughter is fortunately like her mother, a fish, who loves to be in the sea, even if it is cold - that's her Russian side).
Now my worst student was a 36 year old child in my class. Insufficient physical ability. The most uncoachable student I've ever had. He just wanted to do whatever he wanted and would abandon his buddy and the class. Even with remedial 1:1 training, he was impossible to teach. He simply did not care. And I didn't certify him. I saw him as a danger to himself and any inexperinced diver buddied up with him.
These are two different extremes.
@caz777
Your daughter is only 10, the borderline age. These are some of the questions you need to answer yourself before you embark on getting her certified. Does she have the physical and mental strength to scuba dive, even in the tropics? Is she coachable? Does she have the maturity to appreciate the seriousness of the risks in scuba diving?
Besides answering these questions, you need to find a responsible instructor. There are too many clowns in this industry who disregard safe practices.
As far as my own daughter, I can't say when she will learn to dive. I certainly won't ask Fabien to teach my daughter when she turns 4. Not sure about 10. She could be 17 and I still might not, though if that is the case, my wife and I have failed as parents to raise a young woman who is responsible and has the skills to succeed in the world.
. My wife and I had been there multiple times, and were familiar with the diving, island, culture etc. Kids and teens tend to keep their own schedule shore diving makes this no problem.
