racer42 0 #26 September 20, 2003 My kids think I'm a real dork at home, but wear my skydiving t shirts to schoolL.A.S.T. #24 Co-Founder Biscuit Brothers Freefly Team Electric Toaster #3 Co-Founder Team Non Sequitor Co-Founder Team Happy Sock Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jones32 0 #27 September 20, 2003 i have three kids and am a single father or was until about 2 years ago. (live in girlfriend that has 2 kids 5 total in the house) when my girlfriend first moved in and i would go skydiving on the weekends she would always have a worried look on her face and i could tell she was scared something was going to happen to me. she even asked in a round about way if i would stop. but then i took her to the DZ with me a couple of times and she understood all the things we do for safety and she see that i am carefull in what i do and now she just says when i go be careful driving over there nothing about jumping. my kids are 11, 9(x2), 7(X2) they all like going to the drop zone and hanging out and playing with freinds they have met there my daughter 9 year old daughter is trying to learn to pack know and my son which is 11 says he can't wait until he is 16 to make is first S/L jump and my 7 year old daughter bugs the DZ owners every time she is there to go on a tandem (no success yet i think i heard once that they would give her a tandem when she turns 18 if she doesn't ask them again) and my girlfriend made her first tandem jump this year and she said she could see how i can be so hooked on it. i had to listen to my EX for a while about how something was going to happen to me and she almost had a freind die that tried skydiving (sprained his ankle??? far from death) i tell every one that i am always a little worried before i leave the plane but if and when i have an emergancy i will know what to do i practice my cut away procedures every time before i get on the plane i might look silly every jump, but how many of you practice them one time when your out at the DZ? the people that say your going to die i pull out the statistics and say look we live in a town of 20K people there is 33K or so skydiving i think last year what 42 or something died and i ask them to get the stats of how many people died driving on just our roads in this town it is always more than 42 so i point out that i am safer skydiving than driving. most people who die skydiving inflict it upon themselves (i,e, Hook turns, unsafe equipment, doing stupid stunts, jumping in bad wether, not listing to more experianced skydivers, or trying to copy more expeinced skydiver,) the bottom line is it is up to you how responsible you are being. you could walk out your front door and slip off your steps and break your neck so in theory getting up in the morning can be irresponsible? but to some poeple if you have your skydiving gear on your back when you slip off the steps then you died from a skydiving injury. invite your EX out to the DZ so she can see for herself what you do of course be very resposible that day neat pack jobs don't just cram everything into your bag to make the next load. good stand up landing into the wind gear check your stuff and practice cutaway procedures and if your lucky someone whil cutaway while she is there and then she will see it is no big deal. and won't say much more about it. sorry if this is long and i rambled on. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bobsled92 0 #28 September 21, 2003 Honestly, "Irresponsible" is what your EX is when using skydiving as a stab at you while USING your child as the blade. I admit that my Oldest daughter making her 1st jump in spring, makes me a bit tense (and 2nd dauther is MORE hyped to go on top of it). My ex jumped once and knows that if our girls get their A-lic, they will have "new" full gear with ALL know safety equip. on them, by the they are taking their B-lic tests. -Grant G. p.s. all Skydivers endanger themselves driving cars, far more than jumping on any givien day._______________________________ If I could be a Super Hero, I chose to be: "GRANT-A-CLAUS". and work 365 days a Year. http://www.hangout.no/speednews/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tonto 1 #29 September 21, 2003 It's my job. If I never did it - they'd get hungry. I stopped base though. Do you think families in the military should have kids? People shoot at them... tIt's the year of the Pig. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skream 0 #30 September 22, 2003 QuoteDo you think families in the military should have kids? People shoot at them... Shoot at the kids? I've thought about it. Do they get a running start? More seriously though. I've got two and am going through training. My wife & I have talked about it a lot. It's a tough decision. We read a lot and talked about the statistics and the safety measures. She had to watch my first few jumps, which made her feel better, especially after seeing how happy it made me. My older one (10) is practically counting down the days until he can jump too. I just had to promise my wife that I'd ride a roller coaster with her now. I HATE THOSE THINGS!--- Michael Teator Lexington, Kentucky Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freakydiver 0 #31 September 22, 2003 "Maybe not the best environment for a child, but he's turned out just fine." Now see - originally I had that view on kids at the DZ as well - but the fact of the matter is, most skydivers WILL put it how it is and not beat around the bush, which imho is the way it should be. Kids learn faster when honesty is the policy which again imho alot of parents don't get. -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." -- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tonto 1 #32 September 22, 2003 I did a Tandem with my daughter when she turned 8. We've done another since then. She LOVES it! tIt's the year of the Pig. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phonics1981 0 #33 September 22, 2003 QuoteI did a Tandem with my daughter when she turned 8. We've done another since then. She LOVES it! t 8!? I didnt know that was legal? ------------------------------------------------------ "Ive given up on sigs cos I make a mess of them!" ------------------------------------------------------ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airdweller 0 #34 September 22, 2003 This is a thought provoking question. However I feel that it would be somewhat irresponsible for me NOT to skydive. I hope that one of the things I teach my son (who is 3) is to follow his dreams in life even if there are acceptable risks involved. Life alone is full of risks, our risks just seem to be more imminent. As it is, the dropzone is one of my sons favorite places to be. He loves to watch is dad come down from the sky, and he loves planes. Its really a special time for both of use when we go to the dropzone, and I don't think either of us would want that taken away.------------------------------------------------------ "From the mightiest pharaoh to the lowliest peasant, who doesn't enjoy a good sit?" C. Montgomery Burns Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tonto 1 #35 September 22, 2003 Maybe not in the US - but even so - how did Rook and Missy Nelson get going? And Charlie Mullins? I'm in SA, and I'm CI, and I did the Tandem. Mom has no problem with it and the world's youngest is under 2. Youngest in SA is 3 years 11 months. tIt's the year of the Pig. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phonics1981 0 #36 September 22, 2003 QuoteMaybe not in the US - but even so - how did Rook and Missy Nelson get going? And Charlie Mullins? I'm in SA, and I'm CI, and I did the Tandem. Mom has no problem with it and the world's youngest is under 2. Youngest in SA is 3 years 11 months. t Really? I didnt know that! Learn something new every day! ------------------------------------------------------ "Ive given up on sigs cos I make a mess of them!" ------------------------------------------------------ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freakydiver 0 #37 September 22, 2003 Rook and Missy never jumped prior to 18. -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." -- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tonto 1 #38 September 22, 2003 Thanks for the info. It's legal to jump solo here at 16 with Parental permission, 21 without. There is no age limit for Tandem. tIt's the year of the Pig. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
livendive 8 #39 September 22, 2003 QuoteThanks for the info. It's legal to jump solo here at 16 with Parental permission, 21 without. There is no age limit for Tandem. t There is no "legal" age limit for skydiving in the US (except in Nevada, where USPA's BSRs are "the law"). Blues, Dave"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
