skittles_of_SDC 0 #1 November 6, 2008 buy your child an AAD, if they asked for it as a birthday/Christmas present? I know it would be a hell of an expensive present but knowing that it could possibly save their life someday would you buy it for them? I'm not sure whether to even ask for one because I don't really want my parents questioning how much i am spending on my rig. Also if you as a parent weren't a skydiver and your child was, would you buy it for them? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mrwrong 0 #2 November 6, 2008 Hell yeah!!! I'd never let the kid up in the air without one!“The sum of intelligence on the planet is a constant; the population is growing.” - George Bernard Shaw He who dies with the most toys, wins..... dudeist skydiver # 19515 Buy quality and cry once! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LuckyMcSwervy 0 #3 November 6, 2008 I'm not a parent but my answer is yes. My whuffo Dad thinks he should buy me an entirely new rig because the rental stuff is probably "not as safe". Always be kinder than you feel. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Squeak 17 #4 November 6, 2008 it would depend, if they got into the sport because of me (if i were a parent) then yes i would. if they were in the sport by their own doing, then i would be likely to encourage them to fund their own hobby. i would however assist them financially in other areas if money was tight.You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky) My Life ROCKS! How's yours doing? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Baksteen 84 #5 November 6, 2008 I'm not a parent, but yes. However, I'd also make it clear that that was the last major present they'd be getting for the next, oh.. ten years or so."That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
virgin-burner 1 #6 November 6, 2008 Quote I'm not a parent but my answer is yes. My whuffo Dad thinks he should buy me an entirely new rig because the rental stuff is probably "not as safe". and this is a reason to whine why exactly..!? “Some may never live, but the crazy never die.” -Hunter S. Thompson "No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try." -Yoda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #7 November 6, 2008 Quote I'm not a parent but my answer is yes. My whuffo Dad thinks he should buy me an entirely new rig because the rental stuff is probably "not as safe". Please tell Wuffo Dad that MY rental rig is not very safe. Or would he have to adopt me first? My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #8 November 6, 2008 Without question, yes. But first, I'd hand you a list of chores to do: 1. Paint the house. 2. Take out the garbage for the next ten years 3. Clean up your room. 4. Mow the lawn 5. Go back to school and make good grades. 6. Make me a sammich and fetch me a beer.My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmytavino 16 #9 November 6, 2008 wow... interesting question... I clicked on this post, because i AM a parent... quick answer would be NO.. but,,,, lots of ways to look at this... IF your relationahip with them is such, that you have , in the past, ASKed for things, and they buy them,,, then what the hell... GO for it...But, depending on just what THEIR financial circumstances are,,, it might or might not be, an awkward request... When an Adult ( not a child ) gets into a hobby which has expenses,,, it's not right to ask ANYone else to subsidize it... I would always help my kids, financially, if asked, and often do so, when Not asked.. ( it's better that way ) ..., though a lot depends on the child's request, age, past record of responsibility, and whether or not THEY work hard to support themselves...or always fall back on M & D ...to bail them out. I might help them cover other expenses, so that THEIR own income/resources can be used by them to cover such expenses as gear, and jumps...that would be better... People have skydived for decades, without an Auto, once they got past static line,,, No problem..... you stay on top of things, you pull your own handles... But since the introduction of the cypres,,, it seems that such components have almost become mandatory... i use one myself... and you should likely have one as well... BUT unless they have been interested in your choice of sport, and have been supportive... It's sorta a long shot to ask them for such a gift... IF you play the old, " it will save my life " card.... that's something of a dirty trick... you should try to fund your own interests....and leisure time activities....and resist the child-like impulse to put THEM on a spot.. PS what are you getting THEM??? for Christmas. signed, a sensible DAD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Glitch 0 #10 November 6, 2008 I'm a parent of two (that I know of...) and one of them goes to the DZ almost everytime I go so he can learn to pack (he got it in his head that he can earn enuff packing to pay for AFF when he's old enuff ). Anyway... when that time comes I'll make sure he has an AAD whether its X-mas or not. Besides, my wifey and I have always 'low-keyed' Xmas and they're lucky to get a couple of token presents from Santa. All they get from mom/dad fall would fall into the 'clothing' category or 'stocking stuffers', so they don't even really consider those presents. We do however, tend to go overboard with their birthdays. As others have mentioned, its' a safety device so if I weren't a skydiver I'd still make sure he/she has one. Randomly f'n thingies up since before I was born... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EXTremeWade 0 #11 November 6, 2008 QuoteWithout question, yes. But first, I'd hand you a list of chores to do: 1. Paint the house. 2. Take out the garbage for the next ten years 3. Clean up your room. 4. Mow the lawn 5. Go back to school and make good grades. 6. Make me a sammich and fetch me a beer. Yeah really. The most obvious answer for all of us here is most likely, a "YES" but a brand new AAD is $$$$$$....I dont think we all are denying the safety aspect, and that it would not be a good gift, but hell my man, thats a lot to ask for... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mamajumps 0 #12 November 6, 2008 Hell yeah! All 3 of my kids want to jump when the turn 18. I will buy them an AAD no questions asked. Their lives are worth more than that to me!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TrophyHusband 0 #13 November 6, 2008 when i was young and broke, i cut out a bunch of incident reports and highlighted "an aad may have prevented this fatality" and gave them to my mom with an aad add. looking back, that seems like a cold tactic. it didn't work either. "Your scrotum is quite nice" - Skymama www.kjandmegan.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mrwrong 0 #14 November 6, 2008 Quote when i was young and broke, i cut out a bunch of incident reports and highlighted "an aad may have prevented this fatality" and gave them to my mom with an aad add. looking back, that seems like a cold tactic. it didn't work either. LOL!!! Kudos for the cunning plan “The sum of intelligence on the planet is a constant; the population is growing.” - George Bernard Shaw He who dies with the most toys, wins..... dudeist skydiver # 19515 Buy quality and cry once! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gravitysurfer 0 #15 November 6, 2008 Sure. But he would then owe me a few hundred pack jobs. aloha. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 0 #16 November 6, 2008 I am a parent. You left out an important fact, which I think informs my answer to your question: How do your parents feel about your skydiving? If they're mainly supportive and happy that you've found a hobby that gives you great joy, then I'd say go ahead and ask. But if (like my own parents, even to this day) they would prefer you not skydive at all because of their natural fear that their child might be killed, then - at the very least - that would be asking them to be your enabler in something they dislike. Or possibly more: you could be seen to be playing upon their fear as a subtle (or maybe not-so-subtle) form of emotional blackmail. So how do your parents feel about your skydiving? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Taylor610 0 #17 November 6, 2008 As a DZO, I on more than one occassion, called the parents of newer jumpers and made that recommendation. I also had a rule, AAD mandatory until D lic. As a parent, none of my children (3 of 4 have jumped) ever jumped without an AAD. I started jumping with an AAD in '94, never went without one once I started wearing one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AllisonH 0 #18 November 6, 2008 I've gotten things like helments and jumpsuits from my parents for Christmas, but I think a new AAD is pushing it (a lot). Have you considered asking for money to go toward the purchase of an AAD? Then they could contrubute however much they wanted, and you could buy a used one if you couldn't come up with enough for a brand new one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
karenmeal 0 #19 November 6, 2008 My AAD was my highschool graduation gift. I kind of hinted that I wanted on, and my parents called the DZO and got a good deal on a brand new cypres. "Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #20 November 6, 2008 Quotebuy your child an AAD, if they asked for it as a birthday/Christmas present? I know it would be a hell of an expensive present but knowing that it could possibly save their life someday would you buy it for them? You should ask for a new Hummer too, because a large vehicle like that could save your life some day in a traffic accident. And of course, you need your own house too, because that's good for your mental wellness. Any good parent should be willing to do these things for their children. Yeah, all of the above was sarcasm. If your parents are millionaires, go for it. But you're an adult, you chose this sport, and you should man-up and pay your own way in it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Baksteen 84 #21 November 6, 2008 +1 An AAD I already owned, but my parents were actually happy to contribute towards (in this case) my new main canopy. Incidentally the 'cheaper' skydiving paraphernalia (logbooks, gloves, a single jump ticket etc) make great gifts to ask for Christmas. "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CSpenceFLY 1 #22 November 6, 2008 I'm not a parent.I would buy one for my kid if I could afford it. Whether or not you should ask would depend a bit on if it is normal in your family to ask for expensive gifts and if your parents can afford to provide something like that. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 259 #23 November 6, 2008 Nope. He has more money than I do, he can buy me one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gravitysurfer 0 #24 November 6, 2008 Quote Nope. He has more money than I do, he can buy me one. aloha. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cocheese 0 #25 November 6, 2008 Buy one yourself. Start saving today. Don't put any emotions on them any more than you have to in this sport. Out of sight = out of mind. The less they worry about you, the better. Show them how your gear works and that you took responsiblity for your own life by buying the best shit money can buy. Ask for something else you need for birthday/ Christmas that they can relate to. My line when asked "What do you want for your birthday?" is " Oh nothing.... long pause... but if you have any excess cash you would rather give to me than a casino, then I promise i will put it to good use."Mom usually caves for $100 or so. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
