Experience with PADI SEAL Team ?

[timhernandez]

I'm thinking of giving my daughter the SEAL Team 'missions' as a Christmas gift but, wanted to see if anyone had any experience and/or opinions (sure, no one on this board has an opinion ) on the subject.



Thanks, and Happy Holidays to All !!!! :frosty:


-Tim

 

[Walter]

How old is your daughter?

 

[Green_Manelishi]

USN ... ruff, tuff, ready

"PADI" ... posers

 

[d33ps1x]

No one is able to comment as everything the SEALS do is classified.

To reveal the results of past missions is tantamount to treason.

If you continue to try and pry information out of us we'll have to send some of the anklebiters over to you house to kick you repeatly in the kneecaps.

 

[TimUK]

Hi,

My daughter was 9 1/2 when she did her PADI seal training. First check put the instructor / school and see how they do things.

From the kids point of view it is fun and should be taken at their pace. My girl had done a number of pool sessions while on holiday so she was very keen to carry it on.



Good luck

 

[timhernandez]

Walter once bubbled...
How old is your daughter?

My daughter is 9 1/2. She has done a few pool sessions with her brother and I and is very keen on learning SCUBA.


-Tim

 

[Jen-UK]

Hi
My kids were 10 & 12 when they did the seal team and loved it, they had no experience of scuba prior to the seal team but took to it with no problems. As Tim said check out the instructor, their's was great and safety was always the at the top of the agenda, also check on the ratio of instructors to kids, in their seal team it was a max of 2 children per instructor.

 

[WileEDiver]

My daughter did the Seal Team and Master Seal Team just before she turned 10. She absolutely loved the program. Then when she started her Junior Open Water, she was so far ahead of the others that she breezed right on through.

 

[LACounty4806]

WileEDiver once bubbled...
My daughter did the Seal Team and Master Seal Team just before she turned 10. She absolutely loved the program. Then when she started her Junior Open Water, she was so far ahead of the others that she breezed right on through.

This is a very typical opinion of the program. The people that are running these programs generally like working with kids and put out a great effort. As long as she is comfortable in the water and you feel okay about having her do it, it'll be a really positive experience. Spend a little time interviewing the instructor as well, to see if you feel comfortable with them teaching your child.

 

[Walter]

These programs scare the hell out of me. Children that young aren't ready for SCUBA. They aren't ready emotionally, mentally, physically or developmentally. I'm sure they enjoy the programs, but I doubt seriously the programs are good for them.

Children that age don't usually fully grasp there are consequences to their actions. They panic easily and quite frankly, the PADI program doesn't teach people to avoid panic. The program doesn't teach enough skills to lay a foundation which would instill the self confidence needed to avoid the fear which would prevent the fear which can lead to panic. As long as things go perfectly, your child will probably be fine, but if anything goes wrong, she's likely to panic. Panic leads to ascents while breath holding and other inappropriate actions. Such ascents are extremely dangerous in shallow water.