No I am not looking for a fight. What is there to fight about? I wanted to know what the standards are. My goal in attending the certification dives is to be invisible. Cause no problems, touch no one, say nothing and act simply as an observer. I will only interact if necessary, and that would involve a safety issue.
However, I was surprised that one pool session was all that was allocated for the entire certification course. I did not indicate that my daughter can freedive, swims like a fish and has been scuba diving. There was no question at all about her comfort in the water, swimming or diving ability- just that it will take one morning in the pool to teach the skills prior to open water training. The more I think about it, the crazier it seems... you can be damn sure I would be along for the ride in an open water training dive.
FYI.. this was her last unofficial training dive with me. the third time she has been scuba diving....
[video]Joan Training Dive Number 3 10-20-13 - YouTube[/video]
And this was her prior training dive:
[video=youtube_share;WfUbNkYGtBg]http://youtu.be/WfUbNkYGtBg[/video]
There's a point I think you're missing here, one that as an instructor I would hope you understood.
You don't have any RIGHT to be along for pool sessions or open water dives if your child is in the class. You being PERMITTED to observe is solely at the discretion of the instructor.
I get the feeling from your posts that you would have a difficult time simply observing in any situation, emergency or not. I've had parents like that in my classes before - they try to teach their child skills in the pool, or they push their child into more advanced skills than the child is ready for. At that point they are taken aside by me and politely told that while they are welcome to watch from the side of the pool they are no longer allowed to participate in the water. I've gone as far as to tell one parent she couldn't sit in the classroom with her son - she kept feeding him answers to questions when I asked him anything.
Demanding to be in the water with your daughter whether in the pool or the open water should be a red flag to an instructor that you are more trouble than you are worth.
If your child is in my class *I* am responsible for their safety, and whether you like that or not I don't care.
As has been said previously in this thread, if you want your child to be educated exactly as YOU would you'd better reactivate your instructor status and teach her yourself. Any reputable instructor I know (including myself) wouldn't touch you with a 10-foot pole.
-Adrian
---------- Post added December 2nd, 2013 at 08:02 PM ----------
Never mind. I just watched your video. Disturbing mating horseshoe crabs, dragging them off the bottom and forcing them to cease mating? Dragging your hands through the sponges to catch crabs to show her?
In my opinion you're dangerous, and I hope every instructor that sees this steers clear of you. I feel sorry for your daughter. I'm sure you have her best interests at heart but there's no WAY I'd let you near my classes.
I'm done with this thread. It seems that your mind is made up and there's no point in trying to change your opinions on what's appropriate as the parent of a student in an open water class. Heaven help the instructor who ends up with your daughter in his or her class.
-Adrian
