Our Mountain family loves winter sports, so it makes sense to start our kids early. I’ve heard other people say they started skiing at age two, which I always thought was ridiculous, until I tried it with my two year old. Now I know it’s ridiculous.
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Parents know their kids, and I know little g well enough to sense that she would not enjoy skiing, yet my compulsion to do outdoors activities propelled me to try it out. My expectations were low. We went to the tow rope area at Sundance Mountain Resort (which is free for anyone by the way). I’m not above bribery so most of the time, little g sat on the side and ate candy or sucked on her highly regulated pacifier.
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When I finally forced her to stand on my snowboard and ride up the tow and down the bunny hill she cried as much as her pacifier would let her. She did not like the feeling of sliding on the snow, did not like standing on my board and really just wanted more candy. Once was enough for both of us so we headed home after that.
This experience taught me something about myself – I enjoy the outdoors for my own sake and mine alone. My tots would be happy playing video games, legos and make believe all day, but I need daily time outdoors to feel good. The monumental effort it takes to pack, lug, comfort, encourage and man handle my children into an outdoor activity isn’t always worth it. But for those few minutes I get with the sun on my face, and introduce my tots to something new and fun, it is.
