I wrote my previous post about debating between kids ski lessons and self teaching before I actually skied with Big E. now that I have I take back any doubt I had before. Get your kid ski lessons! His improvement was jaw droppingly amazing. He could stop, turn a little, go fast, go slow, and he only fell three times on the whole run. This is light years beyond where he was. Go Big E! Oh and a big thank you to the makers of Edgy Wedgies! They help a ton.
Tag: 2013
Tips on Teaching Children to Ski
UPDATED MARCH 12, 2018
To lesson or not to lesson? It’s a question that any parent comes across when teaching children to ski or to learn anything new.
Sometimes the answer is easy. For example, if I wanted Big E to learn how to ride a horse I would put him in a lesson, no question, for the very simple reason that I don’t know how to ride horses. But when it comes to skiing at a 4-year-old level, that is something I think I can do.
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Big E’s Big Skis
After the initial trip down the slope we headed for the tow rope. My expectations were low. He liked WATCHING the tow rope. He got in line for the tow rope, but alas he never actually attempted to ride the tow rope. Part of the problem was that I did not have skis on, and therefore could not have him ride with me. Most parents tuck their tots between their skis the first time and the both go up together. Since I didn’t have skis on he would’ve had to hold on himself with me running up behind.
Bribery was useless in getting him to try the tow. I was practicing my motherly patience and didn’t want to make a big deal about it, I want skiing to be a positive experience for both of us after all. But I couldn’t help feeling a little annoyed at him not even being willing to try the tow.
After sliding around for about an hour, eating a whole pack of bribery starbursts and only falling once we decided to head back home. I’m glad I wasn’t expecting too much from him. I just wanted to get him in skis, on the snow, and having fun. I think those things were all accomplished, even if he didn’t try out the tow rope. Overall it was good, not great, but not bad.
Motherhood Moments: Bad Mom, Good Mom
Last Saturday I left the house for a Mom’s day off. I was looking forward to a fancy lunch and some time away from my lovely, high energy kids. Little g is in the stage in her life where the only thing she wants is her mom. So as I got on my snow boots and coat she noticed, screamed and then brought me her own boots. I took her back to the couch, to her dad and handed him the boots to put on. She thought she would be coming with me since she was getting boots on and was content until she saw me walking out the door. Then her cry was loud and persistent.
I went to lunch and enjoyed Sundance’s Author Series where Cheryl Strayed talked about her book Wild. About an hour and half into the experience I started thinking about the kids, how they were doing, and what they were doing. Was g still crying? Two and a half hours passed and the author series ended.
I could’ve raced back home right away. I felt a kind of unspoken pressure that I should be home with the kids. That’s what I’m used to, that’s what I do everyday. But before I did my logical side kicked in. My kids were with Mountain Dad, little g should be asleep for her nap, and if there had been some emergency I would’ve gotten a phone call by now.
“How long did little g cry?” I asked.
“Only thirty minutes or so,” said Mountain Dad. “She would walk over to the door and cry ‘mama’ a few times until I could distract her with a toy or something.”
My heart sank. Thirty minutes? My previous callousness melted away as I imagined my little cherub sobbing for her mother who she assumed had abandoned her forever. Half an hour of heart wrenching sadness is too much for anyone. I felt awful. I know logically that it’s not a bad thing to leave my children for an afternoon and go do something I love, but I still felt a little selfish.
For the next hour Big E and I set about plowing the walkway using two toy front loaders, an excavator and a dump truck.