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Forcing your kids to ski

newboots

Angel Diva
Lo those many years ago, we didn't force our daughter into anything, but she had to finish what she started. Thus the one-season wonders of: ballet, tap, gymnastics, basketball, soccer, karate . . . I can't remember it all. Then one day she came home with a flyer about ice hockey, around age 8. "Mom, doesn't this look like a rip-off?"

"No honey, ice time is pretty expensive, and they give you four lessons, skates, a helmet, and gloves for $150."

"Can I do it?"

And the rest was history, until she didn't want to any more (after a scholarship to prep school and becoming a really good goaltender). She was afraid to tell us and her coach, but we would support her no matter what. I still miss those long trips in the car. The only time a teenager has nobody else to talk to! She's 27 now; how time flies by.
 

BethL

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Fire in Boulder...in March. That's a whole 'nother topic :frown:

Yes, way too dry until the rain started this week. Now, we're in good shape.

Mountain biking trails are now muddy, but the skiing is much better! And my kids "forced" me to do a bunch of black bump runs today.
 

Albertan ski girl

Angel Diva
I love that video :smile: We totally force them to ski. Well...we force them to get up. Once they're on the hill, they're always super happy, but getting up is never, and I mean never a fun experience. There have definitely been mornings where it's been so painful that I've considered letting them sleep in. Of course, I got them up anyway :smile:
 

Christy

Angel Diva
Who can blame them? Getting up early on a winter weekend in the dark is the WORST. I hate it. My husband has to do everything to get me out the door. You'd think by age 48 I'd be better about this but nope. Ha, I'm like the kids, I have fun once there...

I kinda wish my parents had forced me to ski, at least a little. They forced us to do other stuff, and none of it was of any interest to any of us. I still remember the horrible meltdowns my brother would go through when my parents decided he needed to play a sport and they signed him up for soccer, which he genuinely hated. But alas my parents were not outdoorsy people.
 

tinymoose

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I wish my parents had been more outdoors-y. We were more of a "hang out and read the paper together on Sunday mornings" kind of family. Which is fine, and I have fond memories of the time we spent together. But we never went skiing - even when we vacationed in Garmisch! My dad did enjoy Volksmarches (10k hikes), so we did a lot of those. He never understood why I was so disappointed when they went through neighborhoods instead of the woods.

So I really don't know much about camping or how to do things in the outdoors. I've come to every sport and activity as a novice. My aunt took my cousin everywhere, hiking, biking, skiing - and he is incredibly capable outdoors. So - parents who force your kids to ski - I salute you!

Hah! I did Volksmarches with my mom too! I enjoyed them, but yes, woods were better.

ETA: We skied for one year when I was a kid (age 6). I wonder if we had stuck with it if I would have been eventually forced to ski? lol I loved it that one year, at least.
 

mustski

Angel Diva
Skiing was not an option in our household. It was like going to school or brushing teeth. We.Go.Skiing.
Of course, kids at a certain age (3) present interesting problems, such as the mid-aft Nuclear Meltdown. This one was particularly funny (thus the pic, decades old).
enhance
I have witnessed many toddler melt downs while skiing. The funniest one I ever saw was the 4-5 yr old that didn't want to quit for the day. Dad was adamant. The little guy threw a full out tantram, just yelling, "NO.NO.NO." Dad bent over, popped his bindings and threw the little guy over his shoulder, firefighter style. The little guy fell asleep almost as soon as dad picked him up. He was sound out by the time dad got to the table on the patio.
 

newboots

Angel Diva
The little guy threw a full out tantram, just yelling, "NO.NO.NO." Dad bent over, popped his bindings and threw the little guy over his shoulder, firefighter style. The little guy fell asleep almost as soon as dad picked him up. He was sound out by the time dad got to the table on the patio.

Oh, that is perfect!

The essence of late afternoon tantrums, in one little story.
 

Gloria

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
It's funny how much difference lesson groups can make for kids. In the earliest days for us there was no forcing because lessons were fun. Skiing with us afterwards or on non lesson days there was no force but lots of meltdowns. Once she became more independent THEN it became more of a let's show Mom and Dad what I can do and less of a let's see what I can get Mom and Dad to do for me.
 

MaineSkiLady

Angel Diva
Too busy to hunt it down right now, but there's a video on You Tube of a kid around 4 y/o, slowly sliding upright on skis...ASLEEP. And it's Bode Miller. Use search terms, it might still be up there. TOO FUNNY! :laughter:
 

amybd

Diva in Training
Loved the video. I forced my teen to ski for the first time last week and I definitely don't want to make it a habit. We usually do one trip/year and he has always been enthusiastic about anything that gets him out on the slopes so it never came up before.

Last week he was skiing with my mom when she fell and broke her wrist and femur and then we spent the rest of that day at the hospital. The next day he was clearly anxious, but willingly tagged along with me in my lesson in the morning. If I had given him the choice of staying in the room, he probably would have taken it. I was done after the morning, and the plan was for him to take a lesson in the afternoon. He didn't want to. I didn't want to force him. I did. He was NOT happy with me. After getting lunch he wasn't nearly as opposed to the idea (shoulda known hunger was an issue!) and ended up having a great time and it was just what he needed to get back his confidence. I'm glad I did it, but not sure I want to have to do that again!

Teens are always an adventure. Of the other kids I skied with when I was younger, the one who stopped as a teen because she had far too many other priorities is now the one who is always posting family photos from the ski slope.
 

newboots

Angel Diva
Fact quibble:
Bode Miller the racer is exactly my age. There's no way that this video is of *the* Bode - we didn't have video this clear! Also look at the clothes.

Wow, good observations! I wondered about the video quality but then forgot about it.
 

Jenny

Angel Diva
When that video first came around I don't think anyone was saying it was THE Bode. But isn't the kid actually named Bode? I'll have to watch it again, but I thought they referred to him by that name.

ETA - Yep, they do. Boy, watching that makes me laugh. Every time.
 

CarverJill

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
We just took our first family ski vacation last weekend and there were times where I felt like I was forcing my kids to ski. This thread makes me feel better because I was a little bummed that my kids didn't absolutely LOVE skiing after ther first 2 days. They are 3 and 4 and just had 2 days of 1/2 day lessons at Mammoth. The first day was a snow storm complete with some high winds so they got to experience the sting of snow being blown on your face their very first day. My 3 year old told me "I never didn't want to go skiing again" after that experience. She was out there the 2nd day without any complaining and lots of smiles, it helped that it was a bluebird warm day. I don't think either kid would tell me that they like skiing yet but similar to many of you, its not an option in my mind.
 

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