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Hey everyone.

I need some advice on how to get my son to stop pushing the envelope in Base. He has over 1000 skydives and about 500 Base Jumps.I have no problem when he does the high stuff but in Canada there isn't alot of high objects.Also his friend Lawny just recently got hurt and he has over a thousand.

I have been in the sport for 45 yrs now and my son grew up on a dropzone.He did his first jump at 10 and never stoped.He is very safe at both diciplines but I can't help but shit my pants when i see him jump 250ft and open 30ft over the ground.

When I talk to him he say's"Dad, you test jumped canopies for CSPA, and your lecturing me?"

Is any body out there going through the same thing?

You probably can't win, and trying too hard will only make it worse. I think you will have to submerge your parental concerns and hope for the best.

Every time he heads for a low object, pop out from behind something and smack him with a 2x4.
While he is unconscious have him shipped to another continent
kinda like they used to do to Mr. T on the A team.

Honestly, what could someone have said to you that would have stopped you from doing what you love?

Probably not much.

What looks like "pushing the envelope" to you may not really be so. 250' is regularly freefallen and a one second delay or even aerial from this height is not extreme at all, and at 500 jumps should be well within his capabilities.

Ground whuffo:
"What for you jump from that thar plane???"

Skydiving whuffo:
"What for you jump off that thar cliff???"

So here's the choices you have available to you:

Be encouraging and he'll share his passion and his life with you.
Be disapproving and he'll hide his passion and his life from you.

My advice - support him or your relationship will suffer as a result. If you have a particular concern then by all means tell him of it and then let him have a chance to show you or educate you why you should not be concerned. This would:
* ..give him a chance to talk BASE with you and share his passion.
* ..show him you respect his right to BASE and make choices for himself.
* ..show him you have particular concerns at times and intend to voice them.
* ..'put the ball in his court' (even compell him) to show why he thinks his choices are sound.
* ..hopefully allay your concerns and give you peace of mind.
* ..show him you care for his well-being.
* ..show him you support his BASE jumping.

Hope this helps

g.
BASE985

He was taught all his life that pushing the envelope is OK. Its to late now to change what you taught him at 10.

Sparky

Have him take you on a couple of his jumps and jump master you if applicable... hell even if not applicable try and put your safety in his charge.

If you put him in a position where he is responsible for your safety maybe he'll feel the same sense of concern for your well being as you do for his.

I don't pretend that this is likely to help you stop him; I don't think that's possible. I merely hope that this would instil in him a sense of empathy with your position. Knowing first hand what you're going through, he'll at least understand what you're on about when you ask him to be careful out there.

Of course he might just have you huck off the most badass object out there... in which case you better hope you've learned him good and he knows what he's doing.

Either way, getting him to understand your concerns is key.

 

I was thinking the same, But some times reverse psycology backfires
you could end up with father and son turning a point from a 250ft base

Thak you very much...

I sat down with my son and he went over all the gear which to my surprise was very different then I expected.He explained to me how it was packed then he packed infront of me, after our 2 hour seminar...lol....he took me out to one of his spots...about 600ft...or so. and I filmed him doing a beautifull back flip twist thing(french twist I think) and a nice on heading opening.

I now have alot more respect for his sport and wish I posted this along time ago.I can't wait to watch him in West Virginia.

Thanks again,

Rudy.....D-17

Hi Rudy
Wether you remmeber me or not from Port Severn and Coldwater days, I remember you and your son.

If he is half as analitical and precise as you, I don't think you need to worry any more about his base jumps then you do about his Skydives

Hope your keeping well

Steve McCurley (AKA Easy)

Rudy: You might get CSPA to give your son two life suspensions if he doesnt behave. It won't do anything towards stopping him, but CSPA hasnt figured that out yet.

Bill Cole D-41

And you (Bill) have not figured out that most people don't care about your little vendetta nor do they care to keep hearing you go on and on and on and on about it!! This was a solid thread with real concerns and good answers. It wasn't about you Bill!

Dave......stop it.....you are breaking my heart LOL

Nevertheless Dave.....spoken like a true CSPA er.

He did his first jump at 10 and never stoped.

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He was taught all his life that pushing the envelope is OK. Its to late now to change what you taught him at 10.

Sparky
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There's actually a story about that, having to do with marital breakdown and custody and separable d-rings and bandit tandems on unmodified gear (after all, at 10 years old he's only what, 80 lbs.). But we all grew up after that.

Rudy, pm me. Get my email off the profile if you don't have it....

rotflmao... nice..

i did what your son just did,to my parents as i started BASE,they didnt see me jump through...
I think its important to tell your loved once that BASE aint all about go jump off shit you need to know how to do it.showing how carefull your about your stuff does help alot..
atleast my mom now think its more cool to BASE than skydive,as she think i take more care in BASE were i just jump out of a plane whith out any concerns..
hope you got what i meant about this post..

I can tell that i were werry proud of my dad as he 2 weeks ago helped me to scoop out a new objects i then could jump the next am...(he didnt go as i dont allow yet...)