My 9yr old son is interested in kiting but I told him no way. I'm sure I could find the right size equipment but I don't think kids are mentally mature enough to deal with life threatening situations. I'm concerned if the ****e fit the fan, he won't react fast enough and it will cost him his life. So I told him I'll teach him windsurfing instead.
What do you think, fair call or am I being over protective?
I think it depends on the kid, some you know have the reactions to cope.
Another option to teach is tandem
Select to expand quoteFreddofrog said..
My 9yr old son is interested in kiting but I told him no way. I'm sure I could find the right size equipment but I don't think kids are mentally mature enough to deal with life threatening situations. I'm concerned if the ****e fit the fan, he won't react fast enough and it will cost him his life. So I told him I'll teach him windsurfing instead.
What do you think, fair call or am I being over protective?
I agree with Adrian, it really depends on the kid.
My 9yr old wants to learn and I would have no problems letting him as I think he would handle any situation that comes up quite well. He has always had safety drilled into him from his archery and approaches everything with a level and calm mindset, he won't do anything unless myself or my wife explain the do's and don'ts and any safety aspects.
The only caveat I put on it was that he had to prove to me he could swim 100m non-stop before I let him learn. I explained that if things went bad and you had to ditch your gear out in the open water you may need to swim back with nothing, obviously he would have an impact/flotation vest on as I do as well. So that night he comes back to me with a list of local swim schools to help him improve his swimming haha. He is uber keen and now starts his new swimming lessons this arvo, so I reckon I will be getting him lessons for next xmas lol.
There is a 8yr old at my local who rides, and does rolls, transitions, and raleys in both directions .
Took my sister out for her first kite yesterday...
She was up and planning within no time.
As always, watch in HD.
Was that Prymbi? Looks like she did great!
Kids are all different, I would not teach my kids because I know there would be friction. I would however let another qualified teacher teach them if that was what they wanted. They don't seem too interested, the prefer to just surf every now and then.
I think 12 is a pretty good age to start, bones are getting strong enough to deal with the bouncing around, mentally they are getting more focused too. But seeing some of these really young kids like 8 and 9 kite and rip does mean that all kids are different. As a parent you would know if they could handle it or not.
As already stated it depends on the kid and their 'sportiness'. My son14, completed lessens a week ago (think important for independent instructor at least to start with so they listen) had 1st independent goes this long weekend... I was shocked, He was up and riding both directions for 400m runs in 25kn no problem.
Best thing is I now have an excuse to buy more kites etc.
he is 58kg and on a 6m rpm 25kn and loving it
Select to expand quotedafish said..
Was that Prymbi? Looks like she did great!
thanks mate...
nah I am back on the sunny coast for the week, so its at a lake up here.
she is not really a kid though (20), just thought I would post it because I finished editing it last night.
Select to expand quoteFreddofrog said..
My 9yr old son is interested in kiting but I told him no way. I'm sure I could find the right size equipment but I don't think kids are mentally mature enough to deal with life threatening situations. I'm concerned if the ****e fit the fan, he won't react fast enough and it will cost him his life. So I told him I'll teach him windsurfing instead.
What do you think, fair call or am I being over protective?
... warning, watch out man, it doesn't take them long to learn and soon they will be kicking your a r se! If your prepared for that,,,, let it rip man, best thing ever for your kids, they will curse and thank you for the rest of your life!!
When I taught my son (and missus for that matter), I made safety the highest priority. He could setup, self launch, self rescue, land and packup even before he could even kite on the water. We used to do safety drills over and over and over again til I felt it was in his DNA. I used to drive him to school and I test him in reactions to "punch out". Grab a helmet, PFD life vest and get them used to it right away even on the beach with a trainer kite. Let him paint the helmet himself to bling bling it so he reckons its just the best thing ever so he "wants" to wear it, little things like that.
The hardest thing is explaining kiting details to kids in words they understand. You can not take anything forgranted. A little example was "Upwind". I said walk up wind,,,, "but whats up wind?" "Ummmm, upwind is like up hill, its harder to walk up hill isn't it, sorta feels like your being pulled backwards". "Down wind is like walking down hill, its easier to walk down hill". You'll see when they understand so you have to put it into details they understand.
It will test your patiences and your metal but they will love you for it so go for it!!!!
cheers,
Robbie
I am 12 and I got up on the board when I was 9 but when I was 8 years old I was just body dragging 
Do it man. Why hold back? follow puetz advice and it will be awesome.
My kids aren't too interested yet. but when they are i'll be in boots and all. when the kids want to go kiting that means some family time can turn into kiting time!
oh yeah.
PS My kids do fly kites. He's my oldest (9) landboarding for the first time.
We set a minimum age of 12 for lessons.
It's not that they can't learn earlier, it about their ability to make critical decisions under pressure.
Let's be honest this sport requires initial determination so that you can get over the initial humps , getting on board, riding upwind, first jump, etc.. But it's not difficult.
Kids learn easy and progress much quicker than we could ever hope to do. But at less than 12, at the start of a kitemate they tend to freeze and not think things through clearly.
Even at 12 we spend a significant amount of time explaining the process to the parents and often we teach both generations at the same time.
Toddy
I'm 13 and started kiting last year. I thought the best decision my dad ever made was to let me kite, just starting to give him a run for his money 
Just to be clear, I have no doubt he and other kids are physically capable of kiting. It's more the maturity to deal with life/death decisions that I'm thinking off.
Will he with be like a rabbit in headlights and freeze up or can he (or any kid that age) calmly but very bludy quickly make the right decision. Are they even old enough to fully realise how close to dying they may come?
My boys 6 but started him on trainers at 4 and a half. He's still only kiting on the beach on a small ozone foil trainer, but he sets it up, rolls the lines out, does the lark heads, puts the harness on, launches, lands.
Have him walking upwind with kite, dragging downwind etc.
He's only 23kg so I'm still a little tentative on getting him the next small lei and taking the next step. I want a bit more meat on him first and to be able to swim 1 to 200m in the ocean by himself of which he can do if I'm swimming next to him.
My plan is to get him say a small ozone uno, teach him all the basics as puertz pointed out, but I will then take him to Jason's for a few independent lessons. He should be up and riding by 7/8 I think.
12 at least, at this age they can , or at least should be able to swim well enough , also they have enough weight to body drag up wind.
Select to expand quoteeppo said..
My boys 6 but started him on trainers at 4 and a half. He's still only kiting on the beach on a small ozone foil trainer, but he sets it up, rolls the lines out, does the lark heads, puts the harness on, launches, lands.
Awesome pics there Eppo! Your son looks just about the same as mine. Yep I think it's time now.
Some really decent dads (and mums no doubt) on seabreeze!
Maybe theres hope that not every kid growing up now wont end up addicted to technology and end up a couch potato
Select to expand quotePuetz said..Freddofrog said..
My 9yr old son is interested in kiting but I told him no way. I'm sure I could find the right size equipment but I don't think kids are mentally mature enough to deal with life threatening situations. I'm concerned if the ****e fit the fan, he won't react fast enough and it will cost him his life. So I told him I'll teach him windsurfing instead.
What do you think, fair call or am I being over protective?
... warning, watch out man, it doesn't take them long to learn and soon they will be kicking your a r se! If your prepared for that,,,, let it rip man, best thing ever for your kids, they will curse and thank you for the rest of your life!!
When I taught my son (and missus for that matter), I made safety the highest priority. He could setup, self launch, self rescue, land and packup even before he could even kite on the water. We used to do safety drills over and over and over again til I felt it was in his DNA. I used to drive him to school and I test him in reactions to "punch out". Grab a helmet, PFD life vest and get them used to it right away even on the beach with a trainer kite. Let him paint the helmet himself to bling bling it so he reckons its just the best thing ever so he "wants" to wear it, little things like that.
The hardest thing is explaining kiting details to kids in words they understand. You can not take anything forgranted. A little example was "Upwind". I said walk up wind,,,, "but whats up wind?" "Ummmm, upwind is like up hill, its harder to walk up hill isn't it, sorta feels like your being pulled backwards". "Down wind is like walking down hill, its easier to walk down hill". You'll see when they understand so you have to put it into details they understand.
It will test your patiences and your metal but they will love you for it so go for it!!!!
cheers,Robbie
... p.s. you might have seen these before,,, couple of vids of the kids:
... p.p.s watch out for the last one,,,,M15+
Select to expand quoteMDSXR6T said..
Some really decent dads (and mums no doubt) on seabreeze!
Maybe theres hope that not every kid growing up now wont end up addicted to technology and end up a couch potato
Agreed...he's already a water baby. Nice work Robbie, although your sons a lot older and better than us now!!! Lol!!
Some great photos Eppo! I'm pleased to see a couple of Horrocks pics made the cut...
Last weekedn, i took a couple of Kim on his kite, towing his boy behind him on a wakeboard. Be about same age as your son, maybe a year younger. Then he towed Matt on the biscuit into the waves, now that was funny!
Select to expand quoteeppo said..
My boys 6 but started him on trainers at 4 and a half. He's still only kiting on the beach on a small ozone foil trainer, but he sets it up, rolls the lines out, does the lark heads, puts the harness on, launches, lands.
Hey Eppo - how do you configure the harness setup for him? I see youve fashioned a chicken loop - does it have a donkey dick? Do you just hook into his harness with your leash? What about if he dives the kite - do you both go for a body drag?
Select to expand quoteAdrian Roper said..
I think it depends on the kid, some you know have the reactions to cope.
Another option to teach is tandem ?rel=0
I have done this with my daughter and she loved it.
In this video, she is hooked into the kite - how is it that she isn't just getting pulled off the board? Is there some kind of tandem harness you can buy?
Another factor that always gets overlooked by parents teaching the youngins - is that you let them kite in busy mainstream traffic areas...
They maintain "Tunnel vision" for a long time, regardless of skill and your enthusiasm.
Teach them 'One on One' dropping their kite low under and high over - passing you from head on and also stopping dead in the water with kite to the opposite side of someone whos crashed their kite in front of them.
Also teach them what the Bombing area is and not to ride under someone setting up to Trick...
that applies to most anyway but at least give them a Great headstart
Select to expand quotedusta said..
ahh puetz that last video cracks me up everytime i see it :)
... tee hee, yeah cracks me up everytime too!!! I think his mum is still p!ssed at me for putting it on the net,,,,, oh well!!!!
Kiting, like any risky pursuit, should not be age dependent. All comes down to attitude, aptitude and a parent's ability to gauge those factors in their children. I lived in Tarifa for many years and I was blown away by kids as young as 3 and 4 ampin Playa los Lances with foil kites in front of laughing parents. One parent told me that it's important to get em young because young bones heal fast. Ha. I suppose it's all perspective.
My boy's got water smarts. He rode his first wave on the front of my SUP at 11 months old. If at 3 or 4 or 7 or 18 he shows me the right signs I'd like to think I'll have the same attitude as the Andalucian father I spoke with. I wont be subscribing to the 'nanny state' and it's growing numbers of over protective parents. Age is just a number.
Im 14 now and started kiting at 12 ... funnest sport I've ever done. I've kited with a kid and he was 8-9 years old But his brother is starting to kite this season and he is 5 years old !
Break maker it's a flying objects harness I think (I bought it off Jason at Westoz). Just an old bar with a chicken loop tied on and yes it does have a donkey dick.
But I also get hi pm to fly it a lot unhooked and taught him the basics of handle passing the other day...my evil plan bahahahahahahahaha
Don't want him to end up a mainly hooked in kook like his dad!!
