Youth FAQ - Minimum Age

Share ideas and experiences, seek advice for leading youth groups underground. Also visit Youth Group Caving.

Moderators: amaddox, Moderators

Postby Patricia Bingham » Dec 7, 2005 6:20 am

This looks good. I love the bit about kids behaving differently. So true!
Patricia Bingham
Frequent Poster
 
Posts: 53
Joined: Oct 12, 2005 5:26 am
Location: Northern Virginia
  

Re: Youth FAQ - Minimum Age

Postby cob » Dec 12, 2005 11:20 am

[quote="lookingaround"]
9) Has your individual child shown regard and respect for his/her life, and that of others? If your answer was anything other than a definite “yesâ€
If fate doesn't make you laugh, then you just don't get the joke.
cob
NSS Hall Of Fame Poster
 
Posts: 477
Joined: Sep 7, 2005 7:54 pm
Location: Ozarkistan
  

Re: Youth FAQ - Minimum Age

Postby cob » Dec 12, 2005 12:35 pm

lookingaround wrote:10) Why does your individual child want to go caving? Does the child honestly want to go or are peers, parents, or others pressuring them? If they don’t want to go, please don’t force them. They will likely be miserable and can ruin the trip for others. Parents need to carefully consider the trip from their child's perspective. Obstacles, which are pretty simple if you are six feet tall, can be overwhelming if you are only four feet tall.


This one reminded me of a rather humorous (and instructive) incident which occured on a trip into Big Hole Cave in Arkansas some years back.

Both of my sons have been caving since before they could walk and were vertically competent by the time they were 10. When my youngest, CJ, was 12 we took them into Big Hole, which is a very challenging, vertical, multi-mile cave, on what turned out to be a 12 hour trip (CJ loved it, his first such trip). While there, we hooked up with Matt Covington and crew who were bolting up a climb way in the back of the cave. After Matt topped out the climb (it didn't go), we headed out.

We came to a 12' deep canyon that one had to stem across for about 20'. The first 2 people got across in quick order, but when CJ got there, he could see no way for his 4'-6" frame to manage it, and said, "How do I do this?" Matt, who is 6'-3", stepped around CJ and said, "Like this." and 5 seconds later was across it.

CJ said, "How do I do that?! I'm too short!"

Matt looked thoughtful for about 2 sec, came back across, got down on his knees, and did it that way showing Conor each and every foot and hand hold.

We all had a good laugh about it, but it begs the question for anyone proposing to take children caving: Can you bring yourself to their level?
If fate doesn't make you laugh, then you just don't get the joke.
cob
NSS Hall Of Fame Poster
 
Posts: 477
Joined: Sep 7, 2005 7:54 pm
Location: Ozarkistan
  

Re: Youth FAQ - Minimum Age

Postby cob » Dec 12, 2005 1:44 pm

All of which leads me to a logical (to me anyway) extension of this discussion:

So... You want to take kids caving. Are you ready, willing and able?

#1: Have you been to the cave before? If not, don't take them.

#2: Do you know the children well? If not, don't take them.

#3: Do you know their parents well? If not, don't take them.

#4: Do you have the patience of a Saint? If not, don't take them.

#5: Do the other adults on the trip fit the above criteria? If not, don't take them.

#6: Are you willing to call a trip because of one childs (or adults) misbehaviour? If not, don't take them.

#7: Are you willing to call a trip on the basis of one child's fears and/or physical limitations, thereby disappointing the other 6 children? If not, don't take them.

#8: Are you able, and attentive enuf, to fight negative ("C'mon! Don't be such a weenie!")peer pressure from the other kids? If not, don't take them.

#9 Are you truly being honest in your answers to the above questions? If in doubt, don't take them.

Some of the above may seem obvious, but all have been learned thru first hand experience (I have broken a # of the above rules at one point or another and found myself unexpectadly in the situation of having to enforce the rest). For instance, #4: I have immense patience with people other than my own children. I came face to face with this fact on my oldest son's first trip to Mexico. He was 14 at the time and already had several 2-300' pits under his belt. We were at Sepilla(sp?) a 400'er and he was having difficulty with the edge, I worked with him and worked with him and worked with him.... after 20 mins my patience was gone and it was all I could do to keep my anger under control. Tom Lounsbury was with and knowing me well, could hear the frustration in my voice. He said, "Let me work with him, Tom." 30 seconds later, Bob was on his way to the bottom of one of Mexico's most beautiful pits.

I am quite sure others can add to the above list. Please do.

tom
If fate doesn't make you laugh, then you just don't get the joke.
cob
NSS Hall Of Fame Poster
 
Posts: 477
Joined: Sep 7, 2005 7:54 pm
Location: Ozarkistan
  

Re: Youth FAQ - Minimum Age

Postby lookingaround » Dec 12, 2005 10:35 pm

[quote="cob"][quote="lookingaround"]
9) Has your individual child shown regard and respect for his/her life, and that of others? If your answer was anything other than a definite “yesâ€
lookingaround
Occasional Poster
 
Posts: 49
Joined: Sep 5, 2005 8:13 pm
Location: Minnesota
  

Re: Youth FAQ - Minimum Age

Postby lookingaround » Dec 12, 2005 10:39 pm

cob wrote:All of which leads me to a logical (to me anyway) extension of this discussion:

So... You want to take kids caving. Are you ready, willing and able?

[...]
I am quite sure others can add to the above list. Please do.


#10 Are you sure that none of the parents lied on the permission slip about their child's pre-existing medical conditions? If in doubt, don't take them.
lookingaround
Occasional Poster
 
Posts: 49
Joined: Sep 5, 2005 8:13 pm
Location: Minnesota
  

Previous

Return to Youth Groups Forum

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users

cron