Trying to encourage my wife to take her OW

[Joe_Tucker]

I have been trying to convince my wife for the past 5 years to get her OW cert. She says she will but never has. Anyone have similar issues? Tips would be appreciated.

[Don Wray]

Hi Joe. I know how much you want her to take her class. Just be very careful that she does it because she wants to and not because you want her to. The students that I have that have the most difficulty are the ones taking the class to please their significant other. Try to make her think it's her idea, take photos of your dive trips, never say anything about crumby divers that you see. Take her snorkeling in a great location and let her see how great it is, then offer to buy her a discover scuba session. Let her go alone on the discover scuba or with others, not you. That way she can see if she likes it without worry that she would be disappointing you. If she really wants to, she'll continue then on her own. My wife doesn't dive either. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[kong]

All I can really think of is telling her that it will let the two of you spend more time together doing something that you both enjoy.

Mine can't wait to take hers. I even rented "Open Water" the other night and she still wants to so I can't think of anything else to tell you.

[scuba007]

My wife bought me the OW crewpack as a Christmas present. I gave one to my son on his birthday, and now the whole family are PADI OW certified.

[rawalker]

I made a deal with my wife if she took up scuba I'd take up golf.
She finished her OW cert in June and has done a couple of dives since then.
I asked her the other day when she wants to play golf but there doesn't seem to be a rush. I won't ask again.

[Joe_Tucker]

Thanks you guys. They more I think about the more I think - our hobby is potentially dangerous, I probably shouldn't make a big deal out of it. If I have to dive with another buddy, so be it. I'd hate to need her at 100' and her not be able to make a decision because she doesn't want to be there in the first place.

[hooligan]

Don't forget... if both of you are divers, it costs twice as much

[kong]

You could ask her to do something extremely dangerous like skydiving or hang gliding. Then when you suggest scuba, it doesn't seem as dangerous.

[Diver Kat]

Originally Posted by Joe_Tucker

I have been trying to convince my wife for the past 5 years to get her OW cert. She says she will but never has. Anyone have similar issues? Tips would be appreciated.

My husband pushed me for a year or two because he didn't want to get certified alone. I had a few reservations about getting certified, which is initially why I stalled. (I thought I was too old, he was pushing too hard, didn't want to be an idiot in class, and so on ...) Find out what's really holding her back ... and that may help. Let her choose her own instructor - that was a big one for me .... maybe get her signed up on the Boards where she can chat with other women, maybe that will make her feel more comfortable and she can get any questions she has answered ... I will say I kick myself now for not getting certified sooner ...

[drako]

My SO wanted to dive for about a year and thought it was really great. I think half the reason she wanted to was because she could spend (watch over me) some time with me.
She was either worrying that the classes were not flexible enough or that the classes that were flexible were too expensive.
So I just ended up paying for half of the private course
She was ecstatic....however she is still not 100% comfortable with everything and truth be told I get a little bit uneasy when I am with her in the water then my other dive buddy's with the same experience.