What is too young too be on Whitewater?

[Louie]

Do you think there is a minimum age kids should do whitewater?

[Not Elvis]

No less than the day after birth!

I believe that the Chapelles took their latest edition out on whitewater two days after birth.

Hey, they're wet from birth, why not perpetuate it?

As long as they can understand river left from river right, which is introduced and reinforced while they're still in the womb (if their parents are good parents), they'll be fine.

NE

[Louie]

Good,I was thinkin I might have done something wrong. Because I know there is a really pissed off NOC canoe trip leader who wasn't happy my 7 month old was on the Tuck, with a life jacket and never out of the arms of her mother for the whole five miles. I never figured Mexican wife would let my little girl anywhere near the river and was shocked beyond belife when she suggested we take her on the river, I didn't say nary a word but headed for the nearest out fitter to get the smallest life jacket I could find. Mom loved the trip ( she didn't have to paddle a stroke just ride in thefront and hold the little un), Alina Michelle loved it (she didn't paddle either). The eight and twelve year olds loved it they got to paddle their own boats and watch PLG swim. All I can figure is the NOC trip leader must be a American Kayaker member.

[sbroam]

7 months old, in mom's arms, and on reasonable water sounds fine by me. I waited until they could sit up on their own before putting them in canoe, but wasn't with somebody holding them. I waited til they were 4 or so to put them up front in whitewater - they needed to be able to hold on. By that age all of ours have been swimming and big enough not to freak out swimming in whitewater.

I have noticed that a lot of the kayakers around here - some of whom were paddling long before I started, many paddling at a level beyond mine - are hesitant to bring out their kids. They obviously love paddling but don't put their kids on the water...

[Louie]

Ya that is what I was thinkin. My girl loves the water and lives in the pool with the 8 and 12 year old. I duck her under the water every chance I get, she always comes up sputterin but never cryin.

[PAC]

Taking a child in a boat (canoe of course) at a very young age is considered child abuse by some... particularly on WW. But they generally are the same ones who feed them processed food and use the TV as a babysitter!

If your doing it safe (everyone wearing pfds, sun screen, warm and well fed, and on an easy class... why not! I believe parents have been successfully taking children in canoes and other boats for a very, very long time! The key is safety and happiness!

Pete (Riverscout) had his out (~ 18m) at the NBofP Armada and that boy was having FUN! I even believe there was a little tantrum when they tried to get him out of the boat! Now that is good stuff!

[jscottl67]

It would depend on the child, the parents, and the water. It's basically a question of how likely is it that something will go wrong, if it does how quickly the parent can react, and will the child be ok during that period.

For someone with your skillz (boating and swimming) I don't see an issue with it. Someone that would freak completely in a minor swim would be stoopid to take a small child with them.

[Riverscout]

My son, Xander, was on his first OC-2 whitewater run at the C-boat Armada @ 18 months old. We have also done an attainment on the Potomac and a few flatwater trips and a few roll sessions this past winter. I have outfitted a Mohawk Shaman with a small saddle in front of mine for him to sit on and a padded thwart for him to hold on. The difficulties so far have been:
1. Can't really do a cross bow with him there.
2. He ocassionally wants to get out of the boat to play in the water. (Never at a good time)
3. He likes to have his paddle in the water on the same side I'm paddling. I tried to go without giving him a paddle and he hangs over the side and hand-paddles

Mom will have nothing to do with boating due to her fear of water, but she has been very supportive. I statred dunking him in the pool and getting him use to floating with the lifejacket at 5 months old. he has been playing in the boats on dry land since he started to crawl.

If someone can let me know how to post pictures I will put some on here of the outfitting and our Armada run.

Pete

[keez]

My son just turns 5 this week and so far he's been on the Grand River in Elora, Madawaska, and Ottawa (ran through Push Button only). I've trouble getting him out of the boat at pool sessions. And Louie will love this - he loudly proclaimed to a large group of paddlers that kayaks suck.
I just remeber to keep it fun.

[Yukon]

What the heck you doin Louie, that is child abuse for sure, you better not stay at home as I am sure the authorities are on the way. You are supposed to sit your kid in front of Barney all day, feed them junk and expect them to thnk for themselves when they are older. Which our society can not have any new self thinkers being groomed as is hard to go along with the norm than

I have been taking my kids out paddling since they were born, and to think of it taking out my next 15 kids everytime I go. I wanted to take my son on some whitewater when he was 2 or so and ex wife would have nothing to do with it. I rationalized saying it jsut turned a grade 2 into a Grade 5- Big consquences so no screw ups, which did not fly. However Iam to report my son Pelly now 10 (named after a river) regularly comes along and helps me on canop courses,, He loves his drysuit and loves surfing and the whitewater, now how to figure out how to make him paddle on the flatwater.

Kids are highly mobile creatures and sometimes even younger is easier. We took both our kids on a 400 mile dog sled trip in very remote country when they were 3 and 5.

You want to see a mother move quick? Sure did when my dog sled was breaking through some river ice with my son in it. Was all good

[Crash]

My three girls have all swam moving water in diapers.It's your call + nobody else should make it.Or we can all sit in front of the TV + get fat because the government will decide whats safe for us all.

[phreon]

Put it this way: I wish somebody had introduced me to canoing when I was young; then I could have grown up with it and in turn introduced my son at an early age. Only in the past few years have I realized that trying to protect your kids from everything removes the living from life.

Teach your kids how to live,

Phreon

[sbroam]

I figured if we got them started early enough, they'd think it was "normal". [substitute camping, hiking, biking, etc] I guess it worked, maybe too well. Our YMCA Trailblazer group (think scouting) elected not to go to the Highland Games in NC and instead stay closer to home and go canoeing last weekend (for them a step up to whitewater). My daughter was upset - she really wanted to go to the games. When I asked "you do enjoy paddling, don't you?" she answered "Yeah, but Dad, we'd have gone canoeing anyway, right?" I pointed out that the other members don't get to paddle as often as we do...

[Will E.]

This kid made a 8 mile solo run for his third birthday.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31910113/ns ... ?GT1=43001

[Mike W.]

he loudly proclaimed to a large group of paddlers that kayaks suck.
I just remeber to keep it fun.

You're raising that boy right!