Finally, after all those long years of being a seasoned diver, your child is at that age to learn how to scuba dive. Or maybe you decided to go on a family holiday and all get certified together as a new, exciting experience.
Either way, nerves can take over as it dawns on you that your child is taking their first breaths underwater, and hoping that this whole new experience isn’t too overwhelming for the little ones.
Here are a few points to think about to help yourself decide whether you are ready for the little ones to have their adventure:
Hand it over to the experts
A PADI instructor’s job is to ensure a safe and rewarding experience for everyone, therefore you should try your best to take a step back – however hard that may be! A child needs to realise that the instructor is in control, and be paying attention to what is being taught.
Ensure you have factored in enough time
Scuba diving can be a physically tiring activity, especially for young ones. So make sure you have factored in enough time for the course to be taught at a leisurely pace on your holiday, as the last thing you want to be doing is rushing through theory AND dives! Also, think about completing the eLearning online before you get to your destination to reduce the amount of classroom time.
Is your child genuinely excited?
Are you confident that your child is genuinely excited and wants to scuba dive? If a child feels pressured in any way, they will not fully engage in the activity. However, if they are excited, they will be ready for the theory and listen to the instructor at their own will, without having to be forced.
Staying within your child’s limits
Children have different limits, for example, depth and strength. You have to be willing to stick within those limits and not force them or a PADI professional to take them beyond what they have been trained to do.
Finally, asking for help
Don’t be afraid to ask for help from a PADI professional. Sometimes you may feel that looking after your child on a dive is a daunting task, so do not hesitate on asking a professional to come along and provide that much needed reassurance and assistance where needed.
Considering all those points, you can now ask yourself whether you are ready for your child to learn how to scuba dive and experience the exciting underwater world as a family.
If you are ready to get your kids certified contact us on info@evolution.com.ph
