Comments on: Monday’s Are for Dreaming of Getting My Family on Skis.

By: Val

Val — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 08:25:27 +0000

I began teaching my 9 yr old son to ski when he was nearly 4. As soultravelers3 said, go for short periods of time in warmer weather. Don’t go on the busy weekend days (too much waiting around in the clothes/weird boots), try for Sunday evening, or a weekday. I also prefer quieter days so I don’t have to worry about out of control folks running my kids down by accident. Kids can be erratic skiers.
Near kindergarten is when they start to bring all the concepts together of what they are doing and how to control it all which is why I think they don’t do lessons as a group so many places under 4. They don’t even charge for lift tickets until like 6 or 7 and that is a sure sign they don’t expect kids to go all day or even near that long or they would charge.
My daughter started learning when she was 2, she started earlier because we were up at Whiteface at the learn to ski side and a busload of day care kids her age showed up for lessons, so we rented her stuff, put her on the magic carpet and she tried it out. No problem standing or going (ds had spaghetti legs for a awhile), it was the concept of stopping or turning that was absent (think of how a child that age would ride a bike……). Last year (pre-K) she started to get it all but the hills scared her (even though she went down fine, go figure). This year she finally gets it all but still does not like being too cold and likes to go in about every hour if I don’t have water/snacks. Look for snowmobiles, ski patrol with trays, snowboarders crashing, the snowcat, Waldo, whatever it takes. My son skis everything w/ me & will be better then me in about 5 minutes, but he only had his first real group lessons this year at Okemo (fantastic place for kids skiing).
Getting your own equipment helps save time/waiting around and there are ways to do that on the cheap as well if you find an October ski swap in your area. But its a gradual project. Don’t be afraid to put your poles aside and take a few bunny trails with her, tell her you are like a the mama duck and the baby duck and then make some pizza slices ; )

By: soultravelers3

soultravelers3 — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 23:10:52 +0000

4 is “so late”? Ha ha! That’s funny !

I think many start at 4 because even at that age it can be a miserable, frustrating experience for a young child. (As you have learned & your pic shows). Also very hard to teach reluctant little ones.

Relax. You have plenty of time and the MOST important thing is that kids have FUN!

We’ve found warm spring T-shirt skiing is an ideal time for little ones. Do it in small doses with lots of other fun snow play included. Week days are better than weekends.

Schedule the lesson when they are freshest ( not needing a snack or nap) so they are strongest & most enthusiastic to handle the challenge.

Usually the tiny young ones who are good at skiing are ones that are regulars ALL winter long or live in the area ( or someone on staff’s kid). They have taken a ton of ski classes regularly & often the whole family spends the winter on the slopes.

They are deeply immersed in skiing!

You can can’t expect a child who goes once to be the same, any more than you would expect her to be fluent in a foreign language immediately in the same way one who has always been immersed in it.

Little ones learn best by self initiated exploration, fun and short joyful bursts of practice of challenging things making steady progress over time.

Every year will get easier & she will get better & better. Before you know it, she will be out skiing you!
.-= soultravelers3´s last blog ..10 Best Tips For Family Friendly Travel! =-.

By: Mountain Threads: New Skiwear Rental Option in Colorado | Backpack to Buggy

Mountain Threads: New Skiwear Rental Option in Colorado | Backpack to Buggy — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 19:11:16 +0000

[...] ran into this problem when my brother and I took Mirielle up to Squaw Valley last March. Winter clothes had been replaced with spring sets at discount and department stores. The [...]

By: Corinne

Corinne — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:36:43 +0000

Once the Bub is a bit bigger, a ski weekend is definitely on the horizon!

By: Mara

Mara — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 04:04:09 +0000

Good luck! I haven’t written my post yet about getting my family on skis – we didn’t have a great deal of success with Teddy. In fact, he got kicked out of the ski school group program. We were told that he had to have private lessons.

So don’t feel bad.

I LOVE the pictures of you on the mountain – you go girl!

By: Carolina

Carolina — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 03:56:07 +0000

It’s like we’re on the same wavelength or something. I just went today to outfit my son for his rented skis. He has finally agreed to try out the ski thing this weekend. He’s stubborn, so I didn’t even bother until he was game.(Too many traumas on the side of the soccer field). Now I just have to sign him up for some private lessons. I know that’s what would work best for him and me. Will report my findings after this weekend.