Children and Scuba Diving

[SanDiegoSidemount]

5.) Encourage environmental responsibility by putting her in the ocean, on the reefs, and in mind of what's out there. Make the oceans a place she's been and still visits, not some vague idea she's never even seen.

I love all your points @drrich2, but this one is a huge one, and much overlooked.

To paraphrase what Dr. Sylvia Earle points out in Mission Blue: one of the biggest obstacles to mass popular support of ocean conservation is the fact that so little of the world's population is truly "engaged" enough with the ocean to understand what we have already lost, and are at risk of losing in the future.

 

[Edward3c]

SanDiegoSidemount
Just to point out I am the person who is diving. I am 14 and have dived in the pool since the age of 10-11 and got my Junior Open Water qualification aged 12 1/2. I think what you said about conditions is absolutely spot on. My first proper OW dive was under Swanage (South Coast UK) pier, there was very little current and 6m visibility. My most recent two dives for my Advanced OW were made in an old gravel pit. The visibility was somewhere between 2m and nothing, depending on however many people had dived there previously. This would have been terrifying as my first dive but with more experience the dive was much better. Another massive factor is temperature. I have recently dived with a 12 year old doing his OW and an instructor. Wearing similar suits he half froze but I was fine. The major factor in this was that the age difference.

Your information will be very useful and is much appreciated

To easy to get locked into the wrong conclusion. Age may not be the predominant factor, it could be a difference in your metabolism, simply a poorly fitting suit, different underclothes, whether they were cold before the dive started, etc.

---------- Post added October 5th, 2014 at 09:20 AM ----------

As your UK based you'll need to factor "Safeguarding" (I helped draft the UK policy) into your article. I haven't given a link to make you research it yourself.

kind regards

 

[Jackter45]

SanDiegoSidemount
I got interested in scuba after doing a discover scuba diver experience and subsequently taking up the PADI SEAL team (a pool qualification for 8-12 year olds), I did not do any snorkelling before this however. My parents do not dive though my granddad used to dive about 20 years ago as a BSAC instructor.
I did my pool diving with a few people of similar age though not friends all of whom no longer dive at least one of which because of bad experiences with the very cold water (sometimes as low as 9 degrees) in the UK.
I completed my OW course partly in a gravel pit, partly off Swanage pier and a RIB from Swanage. I took my course with 2 other kids. The only parts of the course I found very challenging where the no mask swim and the open water tow. This was because I was towing someone who was about 175cm tall and nearly twice my weight.
During my OW I always dived with an adult instructor but during my advanced OW I dived with and instructor and at least 1 other diver, in some cases a child doing their OW. My certification limit is 12m/40feet and I have never reached these, partly due to the very low visibility (less than 3m) or surge in which I have done most of my dives.
Most of my new knowledge has been about the medical side of diving, partly due to my advanced OW and partly due to interest in such issues. My view on the risks is that diving is an acceptable risk for healthy adults and more mature children. The main issue for children in my view is something called 'concrete thinking', this is the idea that children do not apply the knowledge that they have in an abstract manner. For example you are taught in the case of buddy separation to search for 1 minute then re-unite on the surface. The last time I got separated from my buddy was in zero visibility so I just surfaced, I knew that my buddy would still be with the instructor with us both. I then just descended down on top of their bubbles to continue the dive instead of waiting on the surface. This is abstract not concrete thinking. In this situation concrete thinking would have turned this whole situation into a mess.
My parents view is that as long as I dive safely that is fine, they have little involvement when I dive, most dives I just go with my instructor and not with my parents.

 

[Phantom Menace]

Interesting thread. I completed my first diving qualification (CMAS 1 star) at the age of 14 (33 years ago). At that stage there were no real "limits" linked to age but more of a mantra of "you need to be at least 14 to do the course". I found that my brother and I did a lot of diving together (he is a couple of years older than me). Looking back I would say we were very responsible and respected the physics and physiology involved - never pushing the "no deco" limits of the US Navy tables in use at the time (no dive computers in those days) although I can remember looking at the tables doing calculations in my head part way through dives ...

Our love of, and respect for, the sea was fostered at a young age. My parents didn't dive but dad did a lot of snorkeling when we were on camping holidays at the beach and both my brother and I had done a fair bit of snorkeling before we did our SCUBA courses.

Interestingly over the last 5 or so years I have "regressed" and sold my tanks. Now I just concentrate on what I can see and do on a single breath (which is most of what I used to do on open circuit SCUBA).

 

[Jackter45]

Edward3c
I see where you are coming from but I am pretty sure the predominant factor was age or if you wish 'physical maturity'. The only other factors I can think of would be a poorly fitting suit and worrying about the issue and mentally making it worse
Jack

 

[scubaTrent]

There is a seminar on the DAN website about this. You might need to be a member to see it.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

I have been involved in assisting in training 10 and 11 year olds. Some are mature enough to do it and some are not. But then, that is true with many ion the 13 to 18 year range too. They need to be sharp enough to absorb and repeat the concepts all divers have to know, though presently with teaching computers instead of tables, the academics are a bit easier. Next, they need to be a physical maturity sufficient to handle, set up, don and take off and and take apart gear. Most importantly, they need to be mature enough to have a good attention span, and listen and follow instruction. There is no Montessori dive school. The students need to listen and follow instructions. For those who are ready, kids do a great job, and I have no trouble working with them. But it is not for every kid. Never force a child into it. A Discover Scuba in a local pool is a good way to see if they have an interest and basic ability.
DivemasterDennis

 

[Yellowdog]

You forgot probably one of the most important benefits.. I didn't realize it either- until my kids were older... There ain't a whole lotta activities a 12 or 16 yr old daughter is going to WANT to do with their dad.

They might like to have you watch her play soccer, but that is being a spectator. It is tough finding activities that the teenage kid (girls especially) want to do with their fat old dad. If you can make and maintain a connection via diving, that will be the most valuable benefit.

This is why I started diving with my 13 1/2 year old daughter. I wanted to find an activity we could do together. With my 16 year old son we are on the same page, surfing, fishing, hunting, boating, lacrosse, ski ... but with my daughter the cheerleader not so much. She suggested we try diving and I was online looking for the closest dive shop before she could change her mind. She has always enjoyed snorkeling and scuba seemed like a logical progression. We ended up doing the e-learning class and a local confined water dive, then getting our open water certification in Cozumel this summer. I would have pulled the plug at any time including the first pool dive if she seemed less than enthusiastic and responsible but she learned the material like the A student she is and was comfortable from the beginning. The week in Cozumel with just my daughter, mom and brother stayed home, was one of the best experiences we have had together. This weekend we got our AOW at Lake Rawlins in Virginia. It was difficult for her because of the cold but with the help of a couple extra layers of wetsuit and a great instructor she did it and she told me on the way home she was really happy she stuck with it and earned her AOW. We ended up having another great time together. I definitely spend more time watching her than enjoying the dive but that is just part of being a dad. We will keep diving together as long as she is interested and happy. After our experience with colder water this weekend, even in a relatively controlled environment with a very experienced instructor, I plan keep our open water vacation dives tropical.

 

[TMHeimer]

As DivemasterDennis says, some are mature (enough?), some not--right through teen years (and beyond, of course). No medical knowledge here, but my opinion is unlikely to change. I don't like the idea of children diving. MAYBE age 15 or older. I base this only on what I was like at age 10-14, and what many of the students I taught (career Band teacher) were like at that age. I know it has worked for many folk's kids, and for some posters themselves here. I probably was snorkeling by age 10. I just figure you have a whole lifetime to scuba, what's the sense in rushing it? Why take a chance? Must say I disagree with PADI on this. Many will disagree with me, so be it.