Can someone please explain this oddity to me?

[Bill51]

Just curious if anyone can actually explain this!? I nearly fell out of my chair when I read this. I hope it's not just myself who thinks that is the most rediculusly absurd thing EVER. Never in my life have I might a 12 year old who was nothing short of prodigy, who would have the dexterity, maturity, and aptitude required to complete a course such as this.

I mean, if a 12 year old were to apply for your Master Scuba Diver Class, could you, as a dive professional, justify accepting such an obvious risk and not question yourself?

I mean I guess if he/she has completed OW and AOW, it speaks of their character, but the odds are so slim that you'd come accross that type of person, that it seems absurd to even dignify the thought!

Please dont tell me this speaks of the quality of the PADI courses. *laugh* :shakehead

I find it even more absurd that we’ve created a society that feels they have to arbitrarily prevent young people from even trying to excel because they will be denied their rewards strictly on their age.

I’m fortunate enough to see some of the hundreds of 14 year olds that spend their birthday soloing sailplanes and also see how the parents have raised responsible young adults but have to worry more about someone turning them in for child endangerment than their child’s ability or safety. My mother made the astute observation before she died that she was glad she raised me when she did or she would have been arrested in today’s world. Heaven forbid that I got my C card the day before my 10th birthday and after a couple years of driving the family dirt bike to round up cattle got my own on my 11th birthday – then taught my dad how to dive when I was 14 and he was 65. I think there’s a lot more young adults that are being arbitrarily held back because of arbitrary rules and regulation along with an over active children’s services bureaucracy.

 

[Quaack]

Amen-
I have had several friends that have passed teach me this.
Do what you want to today, what you should tomorrow.

Dave

 

[Makin Raider]

Here's a PADI Master Scuba Diver for ya!!! at 50 dives!!!

http://www.scubacody.com/masterdiver.html


I'm not going to hide it, I have a twelve year old who has 64 dives with his JOW, I dive in threes as much as possible and I'm always drilling him in skills. I teach him skills over card collecting. 1/3 of most dives are drills near the boat and he's already got his BP/W, 5' hose, bungeed octo but I never forget he's 12. Some kids can handle it but almost all cannot save their parent or acknowledge when their parent may be having difficulties.

 

[ItsBruce]

There are too many posts that I want to quote to actually do so. But, as far as kids becoming self-reliant and capable and as far as current laws and society preventing that, I'm reminded of something President Regan used to say: "Who is going to protect us from our protectors?" So true.

 

[wallacm]

Padi = Put Another Dollar In

 

[ScubaRev]

Prior to the 20th century, there were two types of people --- children (12 and under) and adults (everyone else). The idea of that rebellious, harebrained, unreliable and useless period known as adolescence is a modern fiction.

Nice! I've been preaching this for years. Used to be that a 12 year old boy was called away from his mama and took his place with the men of the community, and a 12 year old girl was preparing for marriage in 4 or 5 years. Now they don't leave home at 35. Prior centuries would not have blinked at such a notion. In fact, they would have encouraged it. Thanks for the footnote!

 

[Robert Phillips]

Good post and I agree with the conclusions drawn. Do we have more than a dozen 12 year olds like this in this contry of 300 million?

I bet there are millions of 12 year olds that can decimate a battalion of enemy soldiers, take out 3000 walking dead zombies on thier game console, all while texting their buddies on their cell phones. Never underestimate the youth of today.

 

[Jeff Toorish]

My 11 year old daughter is well on her way to having the 5 specialties and rescue. She is a very competent diver, and more so than some.

JT

 

[lundysd]

why in our society is age equated with maturity? I agree that a lot of youngsters out there are misguided and are far from mature, but does that mean we shouldn't trust anyone under a certain age? I just don't get how it's okay to discriminate by age, but not by race or sex...

 

[Robert Phillips]

why in our society is age equated with maturity? I agree that a lot of youngsters out there are misguided and are far from mature, but does that mean we shouldn't trust anyone under a certain age? I just don't get how it's okay to discriminate by age, but not by race or sex...

You are only saying that because you're just a kid!