Here are the girls with Jon and Aunt Sharon all suited up to head from the cabin over to the ski resort.
I am open for suggestions on the best way to teach kids to ski. The ski school experience was alright for Sabrina but Ann Marie cried so much that they sent her back to the lodge for pretty much the whole day. Neither one wanted to go back to ski school this time around.
I heard that Annie did fine going down her first time but then she fell and I think she got whacked with a ski pole in the face at some point (at least that is where she told me the bruise on her cheek came from). From then on I think she cried quite a bit.
Sabrina did fine but told me she kept falling. Aunt Sharon said she was just having a hard time learning to turn and fell every time she tried. When I learned, my dad took me up the hill a bit and taught me how to turn and stop on my way down. We practiced this a few times and then he took me to the big hill to go.
I was hoping it would be fairly easy for the girls as well but the last almost 30 years have apparently taken their toll. My dad has always been a very strong person and works so hard and so much that it has delayed his aging. He always seems decades younger than he is.
I vividly remember one time when I was a kid and we went to a condo we had at Brian Head. We had forgotten the key. The office was closed. So we kids watched while my dad, who must have been around 40, climbed up the balconies of the condo complex to the third floor to reach our condo balcony and unlock the door. I thought it was crazy that such an "old" person was doing suck a teenage stunt.
In any case, my dad decided to show the kids how to get up when they fell. So he fell down on purpose and said, "watch me girls, this is how you get up when you fall." Then he tried to get up. This is when the reality of his 72 years came and smacked him in the face. He could not get up. This was the greatest shock of the day for him. Finally he had to take of the skis and stand up that way. I think this was his last time skiing.
I hope my girls can enjoy skiing more and more as they learn to do it better. It was such a fun thing to do with guys when I was a teenager. One of the few activities we could do at an equal level. Plus it made for great family vacations. I guess it is just mostly a matter of practice, practice, practice. Aren't most things in life that way?
16 comments:
I asked one of our young women who teaches skiing lessons and she said most children do better at around 6 or 7 years of age. She said that their attention spans, having to go to the bathroom, cold, etc., get in the way of them having good experience until then.
Here in Oregon most people wear helmets now. Something to consider.
You could always try them on snowbaords. They are much easier to learn on. Each of my kids was riding like a pro on their first day. Not to mention, I didn't do half-bad...and that says a lot!
Hmmm, they look really cute in their ski suits and goggles but sorry don't have any tips on teaching kids to ski. I've never done it.
Jon - I could swear you're sportin' a fuchsia/magenta colored snow-suit here ... must just be bad camera lighting! ;)
Annie & Saby - just keep at it! Mamma's right ... practice, practice, practice!
The first few times I went skiing were hillarious...well, not for me but for people watching. I never went until the 6th grade ski trip. I took the class and was supposedly taught to snow plow, but I never really got the hang of it. At Brian Head I would only go on the bunny hill. I felt successful when I could finally get off the lift without falling. To this day, I cannot get up without taking off at least one ski. So, the way I would ski would just be to go straight down the hill trying to snow plow and end up crashing at the end of the hill. Once at Elk Meadows, I crashed so bad I made my friends go get the ski patrol to snow mobile me back to the lodge where I spend the rest of the day. Finally, when I was probably 16, Darren took the time to teach me how to turn! Imagine that! Turning is useful in skiing! I am forever grateful to him. I have hardly fallen since!
My kids, ages 12 & 14 both learned at the age of 4. My daughter first went to ski school, and learned nothing. She cried alot. I think there was to much drama going on with 20 little kids. My son was taught by daddy. My husband taught the basics, and off he went. He did the same with my daughter after ski school was a flop. They both ski very well now.
Hi Stephanie
My kids learnt at ski school in the kids club - age specific. So, Charlotte was with kids her age, and so was Thomas. I was surprised how much they learnt and how quickly, especially given the amount of snow play Charlotte's group was doing!
They did it every day for 4 days, and Nick and I would meet them mid afternoon and ski with them for another hour. 2008 was their second year, and they are both competent beginner skiers now. I think they did much better in the school than they would have learning from me. I wouldn't be as patient...and they wouldn't listen as well...
I learnt from my Dad. It was like attending a military training academy. We skied from lifts open to lifts close, irrespective of the conditions. We ate lunch on the chair lift. Blizzard? So? Fun? Eeerrrr not really! NOW my idea of skiing is 2-3 hours in the middle of the day (fine days only of course), and that will do thanks!
By the way, tell your Dad I am half his age and I have to take my skis off to get up too! And I am considered an expert skier....
My Dad is 78 and still skiing up a storm. He is in Japan skiing right now actually. He is a bit stiffer than he used to be, but that's it. Don't give it up Stephanie's Dad!! Then you WILL get old. Just take your skis off when you fall, and think of me having to do the same at half your age!
Love,
Jane from sunny Australia (but yep there is snow at the very top of a few mountains!!)
Geeeez!! Did I write THAT much!
Jane
Hmm, I have no experience in this, but I was also thinking that waiting until they're a little older might help. Good luck!
is jon's outfit pink? you go dude.
hope you're having a FUN FUN FUN week in the sunshine.
We signed Jaxon up for a ski class at Brianhead, too, about two weeks ago. We were lucky that it was a very dead week because his lesson ended up being a private lesson... that was awesome for him and we sure got the most bang for our buck. He loved it for the most part, but also ended the day crying because his hands were too cold. I think we were also lucky because the weather was fantastic for the day. I remember when I learned to ski, my dad put us in a 4 day class... I bawled the first day and swore I'd never go back. But by the end of the second day, once I had figured out how to stop and control myself, I loved it. I think we just have to make them do it again... Jaxon is the worst quitter so I know that I just have to make him do it over and over again to convince himself that he really can do it. It's kind of funny that you're posting pictures of you in the cold, considering you're probably tanning in the hot sunshine right now! So jealous!
What great memories you are making for your girls. Thanks for sharing. I just want to thank you for posting prayers. I really am thankful for the prayers and the opportunity to share in the love and concern the "sisterhood" has for each other. Just a little update. Jacob opened his eyes today. He can breathe on his own for 3 to 4 hours at a time. He hasn't spoken yet and doesn't recongize his mother. Time will tell. Baby steps are good though. Thanks again.
Where we ski kiddos are usually wearing helmets like someone else said and they start at four in ski classes so I def. don't think they are too young. I have seen lots of kids learning to ski without poles, instructors i have talked to said sometimes they rely on them too much and once they are more comfortable they add the poles. To teach them how to turn you can take them out and have them put there legs on the inside of yours and you put one of your poles in front of them across their chest so you can kind-of hold them up. when you turn they turn, of course start out on easy runs that have small slopes so they can leisurely go back and forth.
http://www.alpineethos.co.uk/images/med/familyski.jpg
the link is to a picture of what i describes above, the lady on the left, except instead of holding the child up you can use a ski pole. I hope i've made some sense... Good luck in such a fun adventure, keep your readers updated if you guys ski again, it is such a fun family outing!
Only advice---no poles for kids.
I feel I have some expertice in this area. I have taught children age 3-7 and sometimes older to ski for a few years. It's been awhile though and I wanted to go back and teach this year but it just isn't possible now that I have kids of my own. I could give you some pointers if you want to teach them yourself next time you go. Send me an email if you want. I don't have much time to write it all on here. Maybe I could do a post about it. My email broken up so I don't get Spam... amber_gher AT yahoo DOT com.
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