i think its awesome to have kids in the water diving and enjoying the deep blue, but working on a boat i see the occasional 10-12year old come out and get certified. its really hard to put a limit, or say what is wrong or right about this situation because it doesnt just apply to the children, it obviously applies to the parents too. i have seen some kids who are better divers then their parents and i have seen some kids who parents are forcing them in the water. i have seen som parents who stop and do safety checks with their kids, and take all the necessary precautions, and i have seen parents who leave that part up to the kid. i think that if a kid is going to get certified that the parent should go through the training with them (even if they are already certified) so that they can learn together, be safe together, and dive together. that way the instructor can also get an idea of how the parent is, if they are safe, if they are going to push them, if they are there to teach and provide support, or if they are there because THEY want their kid to dive. then based on that the instructor should either continue with training or stop it right there. as for once you are diving and needing other people, well try some ’scenarios’ underwater. see if you child can safetly lift you from the botom. teach them some underwater rescue techniques. if they can safetly bring you up, and know what they are doing, then i think that it is safe to dive with just them. if they cant, then ya you should probably bring some other ’safety’ divers along too. you cant make just one rule to support all children wanting to get certified, it has to be decided case by case.
well, thats wat i believe anyway....lol