Kids junior OW cert dives.

[Frosty]

Hey folks I wanna run a possible senario by you guys to see if I've missed any possible negatives.
My 3 older kids 15.13 and 12 want to have a try at scuba diving. The oldest is studying by e learning and has done a couple of DSD dives already. The younger two have done a lot of snorkleing.
The family are going to a dive resort on holiday and have organised for the kids to "give it a go" with No mum and dad around.
If they are keen they will start training properly. Again no parents around during training.
Ok now given all goes well and they do their training in the pool do you feel it would be a good idea for me to tag along on their last dives?
My thinking here is that once certified the oldest most likely will buddy with me anyway and I'd like to see any possible issues with the younger two whilst theres an instructor around.
To be clear -the entire reason I'm posting this is that I don't wanna find out the hard way something we overlooked.

 

[adurso]

I followed my wife and children as they did their pool work and open water dives. I took photos and stayed out of the way. Did the same through their rescue and AOW. My youngest will do a dive master/assistant instructor course next summer and I will follow along the underwater work and photograph that as well.

 

[knotical]

Generally I think it's a great idea, and usually it's not a problem.

But depending on the agency, and the size of the class, the instructor might be forced to turn you away because even as a dive-along, you would count as a student, and there are limits on the number of students per instructor.

Also, depending on the dynamic between you and your kids, it might present an issue for the instructor. I have had to tactfully ask a parent to stop trying to be the instructor.

 

[davetowz]

The only issue would be how do your kids act if you are there. I have done a few classes where the parents tagged along on dives and I found the youth to be distracted. I would say that if you trust the instructor, let them be, You will get an idea of any issues from talking to the instructor and your first shallow dive with them post cert. Great to hear the whole family will be diving soon! I love diving with my oldest daughter and look forward to diving with the younger soon! Please post the outcome!

 

[Frosty]

Generally I think it's a great idea, and usually it's not a problem.

But depending on the agency, and the size of the class, the instructor might be forced to turn you away because even as a dive-along, you would count as a student, and there are limits on the number of students per instructor.

Also, depending on the dynamic between you and your kids, it might present an issue for the instructor. I have had to tactfully ask a parent to stop trying to be the instructor.

Because of the relationship with the resort the class will be -My kids -period. We have 10 dive days available so plenty of time
Thanks for the last point. Yes there is that possibility which is why (based on advice earlier from you folk) I don't want to be around during the pool sessions and first two dives.

 

[CamG]

Greetings Kazbanz and you are asking the right questions.
From the manor in which you are approaching this you already understand the issues at hand.
It really depends on your kids reactions to your presence.

Just this past month I was involved in a training dive that the father was intervening trying to assist his son on a check out dive.
This was not a good idea and I ended it, I explained myself afterward but was not really understood very well.
Once I regained the sons attention and he focused we were back on track and it went well.

The father then shadowed the class and I doubt if the students even knew he was there.
The danger in shadowing the class depending on the # of DM's involved you take eyes off your kids as someone will undoubtably be keeping an eye on you as well.
I do not want to discourage your involvement because your encouragement and love while receiving instruction is very important as long as it is constructive.
Refrain from taking a leadership role in showing or telling them anything while training both in water and out.
Instead encourage them to ask their instructor, or refer them to the book, or send them to the DM.
This builds the proper learning environment for them.

I was DM'ing for the class my daughter was in and stayed on the far side of the class watching the other students.
I asked the instructor who I assisted regularly if I should stay out of the water.
He told me that HE would evaluate the situation and let me know.
My daughter did not give a rip about myself or anyone else for that fact.
It was a memory that I will never forget to share the in-water time with her.

So I do not want to discourage you to much it might be fine but let the instructor and dm's call he shot.
Ultimately your kids will determine the level of your involvement in the training phase.
Once they are certified YOU are the man to keep them in line!
Make sure you are up to the task watching three in the water can be a daunting task!
Might not be a bad deal to hire a DM for the first few "past cert dives" just to keep the training fresh.

CamG Keep Diving....Keep Training....Keep Learning!

 

[Diver0001]

Hey folks I wanna run a possible senario by you guys to see if I've missed any possible negatives.
My 3 older kids 15.13 and 12 want to have a try at scuba diving. The oldest is studying by e learning and has done a couple of DSD dives already. The younger two have done a lot of snorkleing.
The family are going to a dive resort on holiday and have organised for the kids to "give it a go" with No mum and dad around.
If they are keen they will start training properly. Again no parents around during training.
Ok now given all goes well and they do their training in the pool do you feel it would be a good idea for me to tag along on their last dives?
My thinking here is that once certified the oldest most likely will buddy with me anyway and I'd like to see any possible issues with the younger two whilst theres an instructor around.
To be clear -the entire reason I'm posting this is that I don't wanna find out the hard way something we overlooked.

I know some instructors like mom and dad to stay "out of the way" but I'm not a big fan of that.

Personally, when I train kids who are going to dive with their parents then I want the parents involved in the later stages of training to review air-sharing and other emergency scenarios with the kids so I know that mom-dad and the kids are all on the same page with these things... The reason being is simple. The parents are themselves not always the most experienced divers and even if they have some experience they probably never practice the basics.... However, once you're diving with jr. OW divers you're not just another diver, you're supervising someone who NEEDS supervision (especially the 12 year old)... and there some things about that role that should be made perfectly clear for the safety of everyone.

At least, that's my belief. if the parent is a DM or an instructor i don't care... otherwise I want to see them in the water interacting with the kids.... Without doing that I can get the uneasy feeling that the most dangerous thing in the ocean for these kids can be their own parents.

YYMV

R..

 

[String]

Not uncommon for the parents to be terrible divers who haven't done much or for ages who need more looking after than the actual child students thereby making the course a nightmare.

Tag alongs can sometimes be FAR more work than the actual student.

 

[adurso]

The tag along parent should be comfortable as a solo diver and experienced enough to stay out of the way while not rototilling the bottom, or banging into the students or instructors...

 

[Frosty]

Hey thanks a million folks. You lot are covering off my thoughts much clearer than I can express them.
On one hand I taught the kids to ride offroad bikes which is I feel a similar level of skill and the cause/effect is pretty similar-Ie busted bodies possible death. I also taught the kids to snorkle and I instruct in other areas of my life. BUT it ain't scuba-I 100% apreciate that.
The other hand is I would like the kids taught "by the book" and if I was a distraction or a bad influence in any way I don't wanna be around.
Then again I'm thinking this is a totally GOLDEN opertunity to take advantage of having a DM and Instructor available on hand during share air etc between me and the kids -Ie the instructor will be in the water with the kids and the DM at this resort is going to be in the water with us.
I've dived already with the oldest lad when he did his DSD dive. (30 minutes or so at 10-12m (30 feet ish)
He's pragmatic in his aproach to everything and isn't given to panic.
Then I'm also thinking--"heck this is our yearly vacation do I want to be stressed at all on vacation."