Do your kids ski, snowboard, or neither?

[ski diva]

Since this is a skiing forum, I'm wondering -- for those of us who have kids -- do they ski, snowboard, or not do either?

My daughter never wanted to ski when she was little. At first, there were health issues. And then I think it was her way of being different from mom and dad. Which is fine, since for a rebellion, that's a pretty minor one ; she was always a really good kid.

When she got into college she started snowboarding. And though she doesn't go often, at least she gets out a few times a year, steadily improving each time. I think it's great she found something she's made her own. And I hope she continues with it, just because it's fun. But if she doesn't, that's fine, too.

 

[Lola]

My son started skiing 'in-utero', as he was born in May and my last ski trip before he was born was in March. Actually, I found skiing while pregnant very good for teaching me how to be centerd over my skis, but that's a side point.

I remember saying to my husband, "What if the baby doesn't like to ski?" To which he replied, "The baby is going to be skiing for as long as he can remember. The baby won't he doesn't like to ski."

As in the posts about 'when should your kids start skiing?' - he really didn't start until he was about 5. When he was an infant, my husband and I would take turns, I skied in the morning because I like the groomed runs, while my husband stayed back in the lodge with the baby. In the afternoons, we traded places, as my husband likes to ski the bumps/moguls.

Eventually we enrolled our son in the Ski-Wee programs, but it wasn't until age five that he had enough body mass to absorb the extra ski equipment and start to ski with us on the bunny slope. Each year thereafter, we enrolled him in ski school. By the time he was eight, he was confident on the blue trails. Then. he started to express an interest in snow boarding, but my husband said he had to learn how to ski first. By the time he was 10, he was proficient on skis and was skiing most runs on the mountain. We signed him up for a snow board lesson, but skiing was so natural and easy for him at that point, and the snow board took so much more effort to learn, he ended up bagging the snow board and has been skiing ever since.

Now, he's nearly 18, looking at colleges, and shredding up every trail on the mountain. He likes moguls, glades, and steep challenging terrain. He surpassed me years ago as far as skiing ability. And now, at the end of the day when he is tired, he will say, "Hey Mom, I'll ski with you, okay?" To which I reply, "sure thing, let's go" and off we go. Of course, he always beats me down the run, but I don't mind.

 

[Lilgeorg]

And then when Lola's son is REALLY tired he'll ski with me!

 

[ski diva]

And then when Lola's son is REALLY tired he'll ski with me!

It's a nice boy who'll ski with his grandma!

 

[ArmyWife]

1 daughter skis but gets on a board occasionally. The other 2 (one girl-one boy) both board. Mom and Dad ski.

 

[Marigee]

All three of my boys ski. The twins started skiing at age 5 and their older brother was 10. Last year at Steamboat all 3 wanted to try snowboarding (twins were 13, older brother 18.) The twins lasted a half day and decided they hated it. My oldest loved it and the instructor said he was a "natural." All 3 have their own ski equipment. My oldest is in college in Pittsburgh and he will probably go to some local areas like 7 Springs. I think he will end up skiing rather than boarding because he has skiing equipment (save money!) Also, his roomate is an avid skier and he will want to ski with him rather than stick to the easy slopes. If he ends up boarding at times, well, he is an adult!

 

[chaletlaforet]

I don't have kids myself, but I have masses of nephews and nieces who all ski! What's quite odd, though is that we were never, prior to this, a skiing family. I didn't learn to board till I was 30, and both my brother and my sister were new to skiing when they took the kids for the first time.

This New Year, we are going to be in Chamonix with:
- my brother and sister-in-law and his three kids (all skiing at varying levels, brother wants to try telemarking)
- my other half's mother and father (never tried it but keen to give cross-country skiing a go)
- his sister (snowboards)
- their friends (good skiers, might want to do a bit of snowshoeing)
- and us (boarders, but we're going to join the family skiing lessons and give it a go)

Talk about Uncle Tom Cobley and all! All we need is a snowblader and a monoski and we'll have the set. I think it will be a lot of fun though.

 

[smpayne]

I have 2 sons ages 11 & 7. I took them skiing for the first time 2 years ago and last year had to get them equipement and seasons passes.

My 11 year old is not interested in sports at almost any level, he is the happiest with a bucket of legos (can build for 4+hours at a time) or a computer. To my surprise, he was the one that cried when it was time to go home at the end of the first day and was constantly asking when we could go back. While he is not near as aggressive as my 7 yr old, I think I have finally found a sport he LOVES.

My 7 yr old is just a natural born sports person. He isn't afraid to fall and will listen to instruction. By the end of last year, he had found some small boxes to jump off of and was beginning to lose the snowplow turns. I have decided to put him on a weekend ski team this year, just for the constant coaching. He keeps asking me when he can snowboard and I told him when he had been skiing for 3 full years (my brother, said it was much easier to switch back and forth if you learn to ski first). I'm afraid, this one is going to be a terror on both skis and snowboard.

?$%** kids on skis is expensive.

 

[Jilly]

Yes skiing/snowboarding with kids can be expensive. That's why there are ski swaps. Check with ski shops, some have a 1/2 back program. Buy new this year, return and get 1/2 towards a new package the next year. But with 2 kids there is always the pass it down. With the one in racing this year, you might be able to swap among the other families. I know when I was young, I got boots and skis from a family friends and then they went back for the next kid in their line. As for the snowboarding verus skiing, I always say to parents - What's more important - how they are riding down the hill - skis or snowboard - or spending time with you on the hill.

 

[HotChocolate]

I have two girls my oldest Chanel, just turned 24 is a princess. She's not the outdoor type and prefers lipgloss and high heels. She went out once with my youngest Ivy who's 13 and a total tomboy like mom and fell going up the T-Bar she has since bagged it. Ivy skis with friends she's made in our ski clubs youth development program, she is very independent and thinks skiing with mom is corny. She asked me last week if she could try snowboarding this year instead. Second time I was asked this question and I think I'm going to cave in. Anything that keeps her loving the snow instead of complaining is fine by me though deep down I wish she'd stick with the skiing. She'll be hucking cliffs by the time she's my age I'm sure, hope I'm around to see it. Whipping out the internet wallet.... Here's me and my babies taken last week at Ivy's cheerleading competition in New Jersey.

 

[Lola]

Hor Chocolate! There is no way that you have a daughter who is 24 years old! I would have thought from the picture that you were 30 years old - but the math doesn't work. Congratulations on your 2 beautiful daughters and their beautiful mother! Now, how do we get Chanel skiing? :D

 

[ski chick]

My three kids (12, 10, and 6) all ski. It's just a matter of time before the 10 and 6 year old snowboard, and they have already been asking. Dad crossed over to the other side. He's now Boarder Dude instead of ski dude. But he's Danger Dad 100% of the time. I do my own unscientific polling in the lift tines. It seems by my own calculations that girls under 25 are split between skiing and snowboarding. Danger Dad was personally responsible for my daughter (10) realizing her dream at 7- to ski a black diamond. We had split up for the morning and met at lunch. She told me what runs they did and I said "Oh honey, you must be mistaken, that's a black diamond run" to which DD sheepishly replied "Yes, we took it by mistake, and she wouldn't do any others the rest of the morning." YIKES.

 

[ski now work later]

Dang, Hot Chocolate, your daughters are gorgeous!

In my immediate family, here goes:

My 11 yr. old daugther, 13 year old stepdaughter and I ski. My husband, my 12 year old stepson and my almost 14 year old daughter snowboard. This will be the kids' 3rd season on snow (and our 4th) and I think they're gonna take off. I have passes for the 2 kids who live here in Western MA (2 live in Cincinnati and ski and ride during vacations and winter weekend visits) and that should get us out even more!

We also have a 20 year old daughter who's tried both but doesn't really do either. She was dating a snowboarder and I was pretty excited, hoping that she would take up a snow sport, but they broke up.:(

Consequently, I know a fair amount about snowboarding and gear and feel pretty comfortable around riders and skiers. I've been to the US Open at Stratton and like to watch riders and skiers freestyle ski in the park and freeride around the mountain. The only place I don't like seeing riders is on a nice mogul run.:D

 

[pinto]

My kids do both ... but they are much, much better skiers. (That was by design. We wouldn't let them have snowboarding lessons until they were to a certain ability level in skiing.)

Snowboarding is a fun diversion for them, and also something to do when they are riding with friends who are lesser skiers than they are. But overall, they ski.

 

[Gloria]

My daughter skis and oddly has not wanted to snowboard, both my husband and I do as well as alpine and tele. She has been talking alot about learning how to tele though. She has been fascinated by this sport as long as I can remember. She has been practicing tele turns on the bosu ball. My husband is thinking, maybe I can teach her this year. Do they make tele stuff for kids that young? I haven't a clue.

 

[sibhusky]

My daughter skis. She started when she was three, raced from 11 to 19, now retired from racing, but a BEAUTIFUL skier because of it. She's talked about learning to snowboard, but never actually gotten around to it. Maybe this winter since it's the first winter in years she hasn't been in training.

 

[cloudpeak]

Our daughter (21) snowboards occasionally. Our boys (ages 16 and 18) ski when we can pry them away from their whitewater kayaks. The 18 year old is attending college in Colorado so I'm guessing that he'll do more skiing this winter than he has for the last few years.

 

[BackCountryGirl]

My soon-to-be 12 year old is my favorite ski partner. She started nordic skiing at 2 and I didn't start her on alpine skis until 5. She took to it like a duck to water. She is great on skinny nordic skis, fat skis, race skis (likes slalom best), twin tips, and she boards. But, she's best in the trees and she loves helping out when I teach. She is really good at picking up 3 year olds who are sprawled on the ground, unless they are too heavy.

 

[IntheClouds]

My son fell in love with skiing last year when he was 9. This year I signed him up for a weekly program,non-comp but team based. We're going to go buy his gear next week. He cracks me up, loves starwars & saw a pair of x-wing skiis on the net. Since Luke flew an x-wing starship & saved the galaxy, that's what he wants for skis ! If we can find them for a decent price & they're technically ok for him, I just may get them for him. He also wants to try boarding after having ridden the lift with a couple enthusiastic boarders. Told him he can, but has to reach a certain skill level with skiing first. I'm thinkin I'd like to boarding also when my skiing gets where I want it to be. Anyhow, he loves to ski with me & we have a great time together. Only problem is he won't skip school to go midweek. Doesnt want to go back to school & have the extra work he missed. I'm going to have to work with the teacher on that one.

 

[Jilly]

Isn't the most important thing that the kids are out there with you. Whether its on single board or two. I like to see the kids try everything (within reason). Also until you try snowboarding don't knock it. Its not that easy either. IntheClouds, take a lesson that includes the rental and lesson. I did and I don't regret it. I don't think that I'll ever snowboard, but I'm glad that I tried it. It is differently a different slant on our sport. I can really appreciate a good snowboarder that can crave an arc!