My four year old started skiing last year and just had an awesome 4 days of skiing in Park City last week. The whole time he was skiing, he would turn and stare awe struck at the snow boarders and promptly told me that when he's a big boy (age 7), he's going to snowboard. At least my husband is a really fast skier, we'll need someone to keep up with him and his little brother!
-
Women skiers, this is the place for you -- an online community without the male-orientation you'll find in conventional ski magazines and internet ski forums. At TheSkiDiva.com, you can connect with other women to talk about skiing in a way that you can relate to, about things that you find of interest. Be sure to join our community to participate (women only, please!). Registration is fast and simple. Just be sure to add [email protected] to your address book so your registration activation emails won't be routed as spam. And please give careful consideration to your user name -- it will not be changed once your registration is confirmed.
Do your kids ski, snowboard, or neither?
- Thread starter ski diva
- Start date
perma-grin
Instructor PSIA L 3, APD Alpine Ski training MHSP
I skied all through my pregnacy, skied the morning before I went into labor. My son has been on skis since he was about 2 yrs. ( He wanted to ride the swings on Dollar mtn, the chairlift. lol) By the time he was 5 yrs old he had abandoned skiing for boarding. When he turned 12 he discovered twin tips, then things got really expensive 2 pairs of boots, bindings and a pair of skis and a board. Now he's 18 yrs old, a freshman in college, he teaches and competes on both skis and board. All of his cousins on both my side and his father side of the family ski often. I love nothing more than going back to Sun Valley every year to celebrate my sons birthday and to watch him ski with his 75 year old grandmother ("Nana"). Skiing is one of the few activities that it is still "cool" to do with your family. And working at our local area we get to ski together alot. I am very gratefully for all of the special time we spend together riding the chair together just talking and shooting the breeze just like when he was little guy, and use to fall sound asleep with his with his soft little pink cheek pressed against my shoulder halfway up the chairlift ride! Where did the time go?
MaineSkiLady
Angel Diva
Wow. What a totally wonderful and inspiring story and post! :D Count your blessings, if not necessarily your saved pennies, from the cost of keeping son in equipment
The family ski outings make me sigh....no one on either side of our families ever had a moment's interest in anything winter....Be grateful, and enjoy every minute!Oh, and I cringed with pain at your mention of having skied right up til labor!!! I was one of those "beached whales" at that stage (but was back on skis after 5 wks
)----9+ lb baby was a factor...
dloveski
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
My 3 kids learned to ski young, but in the mid-90's, when snowboarding took off, all three became avid boarders. My oldest, my daughter, won awards at the Brighton half-pipe and rail events in the late 90's, but now is coming back to skiing, including backcountry. My sons are still boarders, but my youngest is showing interest in telemarking. Versatility is good. My greatest worry is their proclivity to venture out of bounds. Avalanches are common in Utah.
AnnKH
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I skied Big Mountain for 4 days the week I learned I was having twins. My doctor (who also skis) advised me to stay on the green runs - I told him I would rather stay home! I did not ski very aggressively, but I had a great time.
We started the boys when they were 4. They are not natural athletes by any stretch, and it took a long time before it really clicked for them. Because we don't live anywhere close to decent skiing, they only got to go out a few days each season (which of course doesn't help at all). But the cool thing is that my Mom started skiing again (after a 15-year hiatus), so she could ski with her grandsons!
Now the boys are 13. One of them (James) took up snowboarding last year, and loves it. He got very annoyed with me when I said he went to the Dark Side! His brother has no interest in snowboarding.
I took them to the mountains for the first time this year, and both skied. James was planning to board at least one day, but he was having so much fun skiing - and is much more proficient on skis - that he decided to stick to skis. Since our last day brought over a foot of fresh powder, he made the right decision!
Teaching your kids to ski is such a wonderful gift - I still thank my Mom for teaching me!
We started the boys when they were 4. They are not natural athletes by any stretch, and it took a long time before it really clicked for them. Because we don't live anywhere close to decent skiing, they only got to go out a few days each season (which of course doesn't help at all). But the cool thing is that my Mom started skiing again (after a 15-year hiatus), so she could ski with her grandsons!
Now the boys are 13. One of them (James) took up snowboarding last year, and loves it. He got very annoyed with me when I said he went to the Dark Side! His brother has no interest in snowboarding.
I took them to the mountains for the first time this year, and both skied. James was planning to board at least one day, but he was having so much fun skiing - and is much more proficient on skis - that he decided to stick to skis. Since our last day brought over a foot of fresh powder, he made the right decision!
Teaching your kids to ski is such a wonderful gift - I still thank my Mom for teaching me!
naskis
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Well... I ski because my boys ski And they are waaaay better than I am.
My 6 years old fell in love with skiing last winter. It was so awesome to follow him on the day "it all clicked" and I took him up on "the real big lift"! He was yelling "look at me" and signing on his way down.
And my 12 year old does not care for anything less than black...
And they are waaaay better than I am.My 6 years old fell in love with skiing last winter. It was so awesome to follow him on the day "it all clicked" and I took him up on "the real big lift"! He was yelling "look at me" and signing on his way down.
And my 12 year old does not care for anything less than black...
geargrrl
Angel Diva
Both my kids ski. Way back "when" ( boarding was newer) we took the attitude of "we ski, if you want a board YOU can buy it". What's funny is when they got to middle school age all their buddies were boarding. They'd go out with them on their skis, and complain about how much sitting around the kids did. We did rent boards for them several times, but they just hated the buckling, the waiting around that the kids seem to do and so on.
gg
gg
drschwarzer
Diva in Training
DH and I were masters racers pre-kids (no results to speak of, just loved to train). We have boys who are now 12 and 10; the older one went in utero through 6 months, younger one was training slalom in there and then started at 6 weeks post-birth in a front pack while his older brother started at 2 1/2. We thought he'd wait until he was 3 to ski on his own, but at 2 he found his brother's old boots, put them on by himself and climbed the stairs. Guess he wanted to ski!
Neither has expressed any interest in snowboarding, although I try to keep my comments neutral (don't always succeed . . . ). We ski around 50 days a year at Squaw and have done one summer race camp as a family and hope to do it again this year. They never wanted to do the "Mighty Mites" program at Squaw, although the younger one tried the race team last year (hated it because he didn't get to train gates much, skied with people he didn't know, and had no input into what the group did). But it's a fabulous way to spend time as a family. I've had some of the most amazing philosophical conversations with the kids on those long chairlift rides, sometimes continued from ride to ride during the day.
Although he can ski anything and ski it well if he puts his mind to it, it is not the older one's passion, so we try to be careful not to force him when the weather's bad, he'd rather go home and sled, etc. The younger one is an incredible ski buddy. I hope to be skiing with him years from now. He is a beautiful skier and turns the heads of coaches when he goes flying past. Don't know if he'll ever try racing again, but he could probably do well.
Skiing with other families is really tough. I see from posts here and from other folks I know that a number of families do boarding as a way of being at closer to the same level as friends, but none of us wants to go there. How do you find another family that skis at the same level, both skill and commitment? Most of the people we know all have their kids in race programs, they only ski together as a family after 2:00 each day when the program lets out. If I could post a personal ad, it would be for a family that skied together at our mountain the same way we do. But then if there was such a family we probably would have seen them by now. If you're out there, let me know.
Neither has expressed any interest in snowboarding, although I try to keep my comments neutral (don't always succeed . . .
). We ski around 50 days a year at Squaw and have done one summer race camp as a family and hope to do it again this year. They never wanted to do the "Mighty Mites" program at Squaw, although the younger one tried the race team last year (hated it because he didn't get to train gates much, skied with people he didn't know, and had no input into what the group did). But it's a fabulous way to spend time as a family. I've had some of the most amazing philosophical conversations with the kids on those long chairlift rides, sometimes continued from ride to ride during the day.Although he can ski anything and ski it well if he puts his mind to it, it is not the older one's passion, so we try to be careful not to force him when the weather's bad, he'd rather go home and sled, etc. The younger one is an incredible ski buddy. I hope to be skiing with him years from now. He is a beautiful skier and turns the heads of coaches when he goes flying past. Don't know if he'll ever try racing again, but he could probably do well.
Skiing with other families is really tough. I see from posts here and from other folks I know that a number of families do boarding as a way of being at closer to the same level as friends, but none of us wants to go there. How do you find another family that skis at the same level, both skill and commitment? Most of the people we know all have their kids in race programs, they only ski together as a family after 2:00 each day when the program lets out. If I could post a personal ad, it would be for a family that skied together at our mountain the same way we do. But then if there was such a family we probably would have seen them by now. If you're out there, let me know.
MaineSkiLady
Angel Diva
Welcome, drs (please explain your name in intro!), you've come to the right place in terms of increasing your odds for finding such families. This forum has practically come to "one degree of separation" in a lot of cases, so keep reading/posting - you'd be amazed what and who can materialize.
Some kids can really wax and wane where their enthusiasm is concerned - especially re the family scene at certain stages. Race training sometimes burns them out. Or they're just not interested in the technical aspects of skiing (hopefully temporarily).
I think it's great when someone can switch-hit between skis and snowboard and wish I'd had that option. I've seen people who split up their days between the 2 and enjoy both. As far as I'm concerned, that takes a certain talent, as the only thing they have in common as sports and technique is steel edges, base and snow. I think there's a real "prime time" for being able to learn this adaptation from one to another and back again.
Mine went "dark side" at 12-13 and just about never looked back. It just clicked for him. End of story. However, we rented him skis for a day (HP demos) on a much later trip, early years of shaped, and he had a blast.
Hope you can find your skiing family friends here! It's entirely possible!!
Some kids can really wax and wane where their enthusiasm is concerned - especially re the family scene at certain stages. Race training sometimes burns them out. Or they're just not interested in the technical aspects of skiing (hopefully temporarily).
I think it's great when someone can switch-hit between skis and snowboard and wish I'd had that option. I've seen people who split up their days between the 2 and enjoy both. As far as I'm concerned, that takes a certain talent, as the only thing they have in common as sports and technique is steel edges, base and snow. I think there's a real "prime time" for being able to learn this adaptation from one to another and back again.
Mine went "dark side" at 12-13 and just about never looked back. It just clicked for him. End of story. However, we rented him skis for a day (HP demos) on a much later trip, early years of shaped, and he had a blast.
Hope you can find your skiing family friends here! It's entirely possible!!
fatoots
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I have three. When we started the older two wanted to snowboard, my little one was too young so he went on skis. My daughter was awesome that weekend. She was 7. The first day she had a really tough time, so we offered her the chance to switch to skis on Sunday. She said, "No way, then I will have wasted all the work I did today." I'll never forget picking her up at the end of the day and watching her come down the learning area making a perfect heel stop with a big smile on her face.
My baby,(now 7) tried snowboarding. He was doing really well, but then I think got frustrated at the fact that he was back in the learning area instead of all over the mountain like he is on skis, so he dropped it.
I actually just posted pictures of them from the last few races on my blog if you want a peek.
My baby,(now 7) tried snowboarding. He was doing really well, but then I think got frustrated at the fact that he was back in the learning area instead of all over the mountain like he is on skis, so he dropped it.
I actually just posted pictures of them from the last few races on my blog if you want a peek.
drschwarzer
Diva in Training
The "drs" is because I didn't pick a cute name when I registered, being a little slow on the uptake. It's a shortening of my login name and happens to be my initials.
I hope we can find families to ski with here! If there are any Salt Lake families with kids in the 10-12 range who ski lots, we're going there in a couple of weeks and could take a run. We're renting a house near the mouth of Little Cottonwood off 215 and plan to hit lots of places.
I took a snowboarding lesson with a niece 10 years ago, and it made me appreciate fear again -- standing at the top of a bunny slope wondering how/if/when I'd make it down alive. I also got a really wet butt. I know what I need is an instructor who can help "translate" skiing skills to snowboarding, but I won't go there unless one of the kids wants to (my husband is a death-before-snowboard sort). I know Jean Claude Killy now snowboards in powder, but with the new skis I can finally do a decent job in powder on two boards, so there goes that incentive (and at Squaw, you only get fresh tracks a couple of times before it's cut up crud, and my good old heavy skis work fine).
I hope we can find families to ski with here! If there are any Salt Lake families with kids in the 10-12 range who ski lots, we're going there in a couple of weeks and could take a run. We're renting a house near the mouth of Little Cottonwood off 215 and plan to hit lots of places.
I took a snowboarding lesson with a niece 10 years ago, and it made me appreciate fear again -- standing at the top of a bunny slope wondering how/if/when I'd make it down alive. I also got a really wet butt. I know what I need is an instructor who can help "translate" skiing skills to snowboarding, but I won't go there unless one of the kids wants to (my husband is a death-before-snowboard sort). I know Jean Claude Killy now snowboards in powder, but with the new skis I can finally do a decent job in powder on two boards, so there goes that incentive (and at Squaw, you only get fresh tracks a couple of times before it's cut up crud, and my good old heavy skis work fine).
volklgirl
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Our youngest (25) has skied since age 12 and has now decided he will only use snowblades in the midwest and save his skis for out west. I just taught our oldest (27) and his new wife to ski this past weekend. They picked it up rather quickly (chair rides and green runs in under an hour), but I don't expect it to become a passion for either of them.
kids
When it's winter, you do winter things. Both my girls (12 and 9) cross country ski and my 12-year old is a pretty good downhiller. My 9 year old doesn't want to DH because she fell off the chairlift once or twice. They have a good after school program, my oldest did it, but I just realized my youngest hasn't done it. She was skiing with my husband, they were just going up the hill and coming down. So, I told her that next year she has to do the after school program so she can actually learn things.
My 12 year old wants to snowboard because some of her friends do, but I've been putting her off. They offer some pretty cheap lessons, she already has a pass, so I'll just have to set it up, but I know that her one friend is switching back to skiing next year.
I always used to worry about dropping her off with her friends at the hill...I worried that she'd hang out in the lodge all the time, not ski...or hook up with undesirables (boys), etc. Well, let me tell you...when I was taking a lesson and watching the little girl gang (4 of them) come down through the trees, laughing, going on bellies, sliding, etc I figured that was waaaay more scary realizing that's how they spent their time.
They both also skate and swim with the local club. We don't overschedule them, but I have come to learn that if you get them involved when they are young, they pick up stuff so much easier and become much more proficient at it. Better to learn how to ski at 10 then at 42 like I'm doing.
Now, my 12 year old is all set to mountain bike this summer with me and I gotta get them a few more golf lessons
When it's winter, you do winter things. Both my girls (12 and 9) cross country ski and my 12-year old is a pretty good downhiller. My 9 year old doesn't want to DH because she fell off the chairlift once or twice. They have a good after school program, my oldest did it, but I just realized my youngest hasn't done it. She was skiing with my husband, they were just going up the hill and coming down. So, I told her that next year she has to do the after school program so she can actually learn things.
My 12 year old wants to snowboard because some of her friends do, but I've been putting her off. They offer some pretty cheap lessons, she already has a pass, so I'll just have to set it up, but I know that her one friend is switching back to skiing next year.
I always used to worry about dropping her off with her friends at the hill...I worried that she'd hang out in the lodge all the time, not ski...or hook up with undesirables (boys), etc. Well, let me tell you...when I was taking a lesson and watching the little girl gang (4 of them) come down through the trees, laughing, going on bellies, sliding, etc I figured that was waaaay more scary realizing that's how they spent their time.
They both also skate and swim with the local club. We don't overschedule them, but I have come to learn that if you get them involved when they are young, they pick up stuff so much easier and become much more proficient at it. Better to learn how to ski at 10 then at 42 like I'm doing.
Now, my 12 year old is all set to mountain bike this summer with me and I gotta get them a few more golf lessons
MaineSkiLady
Angel Diva
hopefully just a phase??
Sounds semi-typical, unfortunately. I recall when my son (who started skiing at 3) joined the middle school ski club in 6th grade, he was interested in skiing----NOT what most of the others were doing, which was pretty much stated above, and then some. He actually wound up spending most of his time skiing with his teacher (imagine that) because that was only other person who was interested in skiing, not antics. I don't think he made it to 8th grade being active in that club, for same reasons. He was the student coordinator in 7th grade, then he gave up.
Bing
Angel Diva
Our little guy has skiied since he was 4 and is a beautiful skier. We encouraged him to take up boarding IN ADDITION to skiing at 8 and now he is in lessons having just turned 9.
We thought it was a good social thing as the bump near us has a $129 seasons pass for Friday & Sat night skiing. It's a dry mountain so a great place for tweens and teens to hang out in the winter - and most board.
Of course, this has made for crazy Saturdays this year - ski 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. ... back on the slope at 6:15-7:15 for boarding lessons - home in between for homework, etc.
Next year we'll definitely spread things out more.
We thought it was a good social thing as the bump near us has a $129 seasons pass for Friday & Sat night skiing. It's a dry mountain so a great place for tweens and teens to hang out in the winter - and most board.
Of course, this has made for crazy Saturdays this year - ski 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. ... back on the slope at 6:15-7:15 for boarding lessons - home in between for homework, etc.
Next year we'll definitely spread things out more.
jenxtremeski
Certified Ski Diva
I am an avid skiier and tele skiier as well. I have a 14 year old and taught him both snowboarding and skiing when he was a little boy. Now he competes in freestyle skiing (moguls and aerials). It is a wonderful gift for parents to give their kids and a great time too.
gardenmary
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
My 14-yr-old son skis - he started at age 11. DH was the skier, I took up cross country, so DH told DS to get skis mastered before a board. There was little bit of grumbling from DS, until he realized how much time novice snowboarders spend on their behinds in the snow. Now he is a black diamond skier with occasional forays into double black diamond runs; he and DH skied both Olympic downhill runs at Snowbasin 2 weeks ago. DH says he is really a natural. They even lowered themselves to ski down the bunny slopes with me because they were so excited I could finally do it!
jenxtremeski
Certified Ski Diva
kids.....
I think it's great your kids are skiing. Some of the best family times are spend on two sticks in the snow. Keep up the fun with your kids and keep encouraging them........
I think it's great your kids are skiing. Some of the best family times are spend on two sticks in the snow. Keep up the fun with your kids and keep encouraging them........
I have three kids. My daughter (14)started out on skis but then we moved to Indiana for almost 4 years and had little chance for snow sports. Now that we're back in MN, they have taken up boarding. She has had a frustrating season and has all but given up. I wish she would try skiing again. But there's always next season. As for my 2 boys (10 &11) they love to board. We put them in a 3 lesson program and off they went! All their friends board as well, it's so fun to see them all zip down the hill! I have skied since I was 7, so secretly I wish they will cross over someday. My youngest skied with me last year, one time and was a natural. Just like that, no lesson, no instruction. He just studied the other skiers and off he went. Blew me away! I'm thinking of trying racing next year and hope he will too. He does seem intrigued when a race is going on! So who knows.
