I love teaching my kids to surf!

[danno]

I have 3 daughters ages 8,10, and 12 and I have just taught them all how to surf. I have to say this has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life They went from watching me, watching videos, being hypnotized by The Endless Summer, dreaming about it, practicing pop ups in the living room, riding skateboards, doing push ups, getting over fear of the ocean, to shooting the line, hot dogging a little, working on turns and getting the longest rides on the beach. I love the way the whole beach and all the surfers light up when an 8 year old little girl goes flying down the line right in the curl all the way in. Dad is stoked and the wahines are addicted. Teach them young!

[surf patrol]

That's great to see danno, I am looking forward to taking my boys out then they are old enough.

[tree4]

Nice one. Amazing how a kid that weighs nothing can catch a 1/4ft wave. Where as a fat bloater like me struggles without a huge amount of float in the board.

[drowningbitbybit]

Aw bless!
How cool is that?

[CHarvey]

This is the biggest reason I can't wait for my nephew to get older. He will have a quiver that will be the envy of the city.

[Sillysausage]

great job, also took my little cousin ages 8 out the other weekend, waves were small but its so much fun watching her enjoying surfing so much

[Bub]

Just wondering how you progressed them in the water. I have a 9 year old daughter and I've taken her out in small surf on my board a few times when she was 7 and 8....just trying to catch and ride small 2-3 ft. shore-break white water into the sand. But she's gotten and few bumps and bruises by the board the 1or 2 times she tried and is still scared for me to take her out a little further where the water is deeper. Any recommendations on how to overcome fears and progress her? She's very athletic, swims ok, but has fears of the ocean still. We live 200 miles from the shore so she only gets a few opportunities a year to surf with me. We're taking a 7 day vacation and I plan to surf every day (waves permitting) and hopefully I can get her out there a few days as well.

[surf patrol]

congrat. i have 4 kids and i am also teaching them.
rgards.
ernesto

[danno]

Just wondering how you progressed them in the water. I have a 9 year old daughter and I've taken her out in small surf on my board a few times when she was 7 and 8....just trying to catch and ride small 2-3 ft. shore-break white water into the sand. But she's gotten and few bumps and bruises by the board the 1or 2 times she tried and is still scared for me to take her out a little further where the water is deeper. Any recommendations on how to overcome fears and progress her? She's very athletic, swims ok, but has fears of the ocean still. We live 200 miles from the shore so she only gets a few opportunities a year to surf with me. We're taking a 7 day vacation and I plan to surf every day (waves permitting) and hopefully I can get her out there a few days as well.

Yeah we had some panic a few times early on, conditions are everything, a slow day when you and I would usually sit out is a perfect learning day for them when they are starting out. Nice small morning glass 1 to 2 ft is perfect and magical for them if you are lucky. My little one (8)panicked a few times but in hindsight the conditions were too choppy and the shore break was too steep(not big, but pounding the beach bad). The break and the time have to be right especially for the first few times when they are building confidence and learning to respect and appropriately fear the ocean, but not in a panic. The other thing is more of a parenting thing. I love and pamper my girls but when we go surfing I tell them to leave "little princess on the beach" the first few times they began to complain of the salt in the eyes, the rash, getting hit by the board, etc I lovingly jaded them about whether they were going to be wahines or whininees. The middle one got stung mildly by a jellyfish and was yelling in fear "daddy, a jellyfish got me" I responded with "congratulations" as if it was some type of oceanic initiation. It caught on, they are now developing some grit. I drill them about never diving off head first and about lingering a bit underwater after wipeouts as to not get clobbered by the board, as well as coming up with your hands protecting your head from the board. Another helpful thing was to show them even if bigger sets come when they are out further that they can just dive under the wave. They were amazed that they could go under it like that.
Regular paddling was really hard for the two smaller ones, but they took to knee paddling like crazy. I push them into most waves still and try to get them in way before the wave steepens so they are way out front. It is amazing what the combination of only weighing 60lbs and being pushed in can do for wave catching. They can ride anything. One of those photos looks like she barely has the wave, she has it and will take it all the way in. Riding tandem is a cool way too if conditions are nice. I think that because I have 3, they see the other one do something and it challenges/comforts them to overcome the fears and discomforts. My youngest was the first to actually surf. I was showing her sister how to boogie board and my surfboard was floating next to me on a small day.
She got on the surf board goofing around paddled a few strokes and caught wave in by accident, stood up and rode it in. It was funny, she got scared later that day, she didn't even think about what she was doing and just did it. That challenged the older ones to not be outdone by their little sister. Fun times. Hope it goes well at the beach, hopefully you will score some surf during your visit. Have fun and be safe

[subasurf]

Awesome stuff mate, Great photos too.
Down the track in about 10 years when I finally have some kids I cannot wait until they are old enough to start surfing.

[SeanGuna]

I've actually just started getting my oldest daughter (age 4 1/2) out on the board with me when conditions are flat. Its a great workout for me paddling us both around on my semi-long board and gets her comfortable with the ocean. When its nice and flat I have her pop up and see how long she can stand on the board trying to beat her last best time. I have full control of the board and let her ride waves in by herself (or at least she things its by herself) and she is loving it. Now every morning before I go to work and pack up my board for dawn patrol she is begging to go surfing with daddy. Perhaps the greatest experience I have had at the beach now. And the time is not lost on my youngest (2 1/2) as she see's her sister out enjoying the water.

And I think Jelly Fish bite inauguration is a hilarious since the first time my wife told my daughters about the "dangers" of jellyfish they were terrified of the water. After they seen dad move dead ones around open palm and explained they keep tourist from our beaches they are much more receptive.

[phillwilson]

Wow, I dont have kids...but this has goot to be one of the all time highs for you..to share your love of the sea good times

your photographs are beautiful too, if I was you I would try to find a local coffe shop near the beach to display.. to me they are both touching and well composed.

all the best

phill