Tech Diving w/ School-aged kids

[BabyLitigator]

Who on here actively tec dives while being the parent of school-aged kids?

Context. Kind of fell into technical diving last year and have done a few 'fun' tec dives since then so I guess sticking with it. I have two kids (11 and 8) and have made it a habit of asking if folks have kids when in tec-ish groups, and it seems on the rare side. Mostly seems to be folks that don't (or don't yet) have kids, or folks where the kids are quite a bit older. What's the consensus on here?

 

[grantmac]

Mine will be graduating in a few years. I don't see it as any relevance other than finances.

 

[rjack321]

I know plenty of folks who quit diving or quit tech diving after kids. A few who kept at it

 

[InWay2Deep]

Cave/Trimix/CCR here, 2 in high scool 1 in grade school, no issue for me other than time/money, whats the underlying question?

 

[Mobulai]

I got a 3yo — she test breathes my regs for me

Started with tech diving last year, but it’s a slow paced mofo - barely made 45 dives all year; so I got addicted to servicing regs as a coping mechanism

Doom and gloom aside the biggest hindrance to my diving is the local diving — it’s all cold here and I’m a spoiled redsea baby, that’s where I did almost all of my training, but I gotta get over myself and plunge into that cold water mor often here

 

[MB NZ]

Never did any serious technical diving, just nitrox outside of training and some accelerated decompression. Pretty much stopped when my son was born. It wasn't a deliberate decision, but just diving was hard enough at that point of my life, technical dives were logistically too difficult. I'm only just getting back in to recreational diving now and getting older, so can't see myself going back down the technical route.

 

[BabyLitigator]

Cave/Trimix/CCR here, 2 in high scool 1 in grade school, no issue for me other than time/money, whats the underlying question?

Logistics. Basketball and other kiddie stuff can come up between booking a dive and the dive which makes for logistics fun (in LA, so mostly day trips or shorter).

 

[LFMarm]

MOD 3 CCR cave trying to get my older daughter to do jr open water, other one is still a few years away.

 

[evandroairton]

Diving is the reason which i still tolerate my job.
I love my kid, but stop diving is out of question and my wife suports me.
The only thing: i get wiser, no reason to go to, say, 100 meters to see the very same reef at 60, no reason to do a dive if the resources are just marginal, and so on. The wreck wont go away, the cave will still be there.
Getting older but not bolder, making stuff the way it should be. (I still can't believe that are people, instructors, who goes 60+ meters on a single s80 on air for some bravado)

 

[ToneNQ]

My kids are 6 and 9 and its a mission. Its about opportunities and you are not able to take them all. Last year I got to go to Bikini Atoll, this year it's looking like I'll do 20 dives or less. I keep an eye on what the local tech community is doing and jump in when I can. I'm more than a few years in so they're usually happy to include me and the newer tech divers are keen for the extra set of eyes. Most are older than me, no kids or empty nesters. Some learned to dive decades ago but have only gotten the bug again since their kids left home. They have plenty of money and time, with a desire to do more and the ability to take a day off when it suits them. Another mate has a toddler and a newborn, we might not see him for a year or three.

I like to prep in the evenings after the kids are in bed, you need quiet thinking time to get ready, pack, rig gear, so be sensible about what you can commit to and how you're able to go about it. For the dives this weekend I'll be starting with my gear on Tuesday, but the planning and discussions around the group started last week. Learn how you need to get your head in the game, find a routine that works. Remember you don't have to be slick in the water, the compulsory requirement is to be safe.

I'm keen to do Mod 3, but that will require a family holiday to a diving location. There is a chance to do Mod 3 this year but Bikini ate a tonne of goodwill. The wife absolutely supports my diving, but she does have limits and I respect her right to veto a trip. I'm pretty spoiled in the grand scheme of things.