By John Heimann
How do you know if your child is ready to try scuba diving? Just because the minimum age for PADI certification is 10 years old doesn’t mean that every interested 10-year-old is ready. I recently met one father-daughter buddy team, however, who showed me exactly what a prepared 10-year-old looks like.
Michael Zwibel and I are both passionate divers and both fathers with daughters. For a month or two, we shared stories of diving, our dive gear and parenthood in an online dive forum, but it wasn’t until we both went to watch the Pacific Marine Mammal Center release a pair of female sea lions at a local beach that we finally met face to face. It was here that I met Bethany Zwibel, Michael’s 10-year-old daughter, for the first time. She was a curious, high-energy young girl, just like any other 10-year-old — above the surface, that is. It turns out that Bethany is also a scuba diver, just like her dad. You may have to think back to the days when you were in your certification classes to understand just how amazing it is for such a young person to be certified, with almost 30 dives under her weight belt. The bookwork, the testing, the dreaded dive tables, the pool dives, the first open-water dives — Bethany had to do all of these things, just like you and I did, to get her OWD card.
It wasn’t until a recent boat trip to Catalina Island aboard the Sundiver that I saw this father/daughter team in action. Michael, a very skillful and experienced diver, did very little to help Bethany gear up for her first dive of the morning, aside from lifting her BCD into position for her. Any feelings of fear or apprehension that she may have had in the pool months before were replaced by poise and complete confidence in her abilities. Aside from her flawless giant stride off the boat, aside from her perfect technique below the surface, and aside from the fact that she led the dives on that day, the bond between Bethany and her dad was palpable, and one of the most ringing endorsements for supporting your child’s certification dreams. Father and daughter are creating memories that will last a lifetime, and you can see just how proud Michael is of his daughter.
If you’re wondering if your child is ready to take the plunge with you, there’s no broad-stroke answer. Consider several factors when making this decision, including your child’s maturing – regardless of age. Make an honest assessment here: if there were an emergency underwater, could your child capably handle it on his or her own if they had to? Situational awareness and attention to detail are crucial to the safety of every diver, so you must pay extra attention to these characteristics within your child’s personality before allowing them to go ahead. As a parent, you must also consider how involved you are willing to be in the life of your young diver. While scuba can be one of the most relaxing and enjoyable hobbies that you and your child will ever share, it’s your responsibility to make sure that the risks are understood and that the proper safety precautions are in place. If both you and your child are equally enthusiastic and you’ve honestly answered these questions, you’ll know when the time is right for you and your child to embark on the adventure of a lifetime together.
