Kid safety--don't know what I'm doing

[deannatoby]

I just read the thread "Horrible accident at our home area" and am quite shaken. We have been in NH a year after having come from the south for all our lives, and winter was a big draw for us. I'm taking lessons now with my 9,6,and 4 yo. The 3yo will do lessons next year. But, bottom line is I have NO IDEA what I am doing with them and I have zero experience with how dangerous the slopes can be. Just to give you an example, two weeks ago we went to a local place to sled, just a few people there. I've been so excited that now we can sled in winter! So, I sent my 6 and 3 yo down in a tube and they hit a tree. 3 yo was knocked completely out, thought he might never open his eyes again. He was only out for about 1.5 minutes according to an EMT that was there on his off day sledding with his kids. The EMT was at the bottom of the hill when they hit the tree and he got to the kids before I did. He said it was 1.5 minutes, but I was shocked because I was sure it was over 5 minutes. They kept the 3yo overnight in the hospital "just to be sure," but his concussion was big enough to keep him tired for about 2 days. 6 yo had mild concussion, was knocked out but didn't have any issues after coming to consciousness and was fine. She kept insisting she went sledding and fell asleep.

They weren't wearing helmets, and I had visions of them hitting trees during skiing, so first thing I did was order helmets for all of us, and we'll never ski without them again. But, I am sitting hear nearly crying reading this post about this little boy with the depressed skull fracture and wondering if that will be me because I just don't even know what can go wrong. It never occurred to me to tell my kids to sit down on the snow if they feel like they are in over their head. What other things do I need to know? Right now my 9yo is taking the blues during our lessons and day on the slopes, and she is always with a friend. Often that friend's father is with them, but he also spends time with his younger son. I can't be with them because I'm with my 6 and 4 yo, and they have just moved from the greens to the easiest blue. (We ski at Gunstock in NH, and if you've never been there, the green options are small. Many places have long green runs from the top, but Gunstock's green runs are more learning runs and then you have to move on to easy blues.) What do I do with two of them? I was having them try to stay behind me, but that was getting somewhat disorderly--they weren't really behind me and if I got a little ahead they'd skip my turn trails to come straight to me. Then I tried just being in front of them and encouraging/coaching them to S on their own on the way down. I thought that was safe, but anything can happen.

Our instructor hasn't given us any tips for how to ski outside of our lessons that go beyond technique. I thought the skiing behind me thing was just for them to learn. I didn't think of it as a safety issue. Next week is our last lesson and I'll ask her specifically about more safety things. But, the group mind here would probably be more informative.

And, another thing. I was excited about my 9yo skiing, and excited to hear that she was making progress. I know her friend's father has taken them on the blue run from the summit just a couple of times, and I was so happy to see her progress and enjoy it. Last time I noticed she stayed mostly on the easiest blue run, and I was actually disappointed that she wasn't feeling the urge to challenge herself more. Isn't that stupid? I'm the daredevil, but she's obviously much wiser than me. Now I'm feeling so grateful that she's staying on the easy blue and spending more time learning her skis than testing her limits.

It all seems so fun. But, watching them sled into that tree was a huge wake-up call for me. They are both doing just great, totally normal now. I feel like the Lord opened my eyes to how dangerous it can be, but kept my kids safe. Can you imagine the odds of an off-duty EMT just happening to be at the bottom of the hill when they hit? It was like He protected them, but let me know I was being totally reckless and that I needed to wake up to the dangers.

So, if I have two young ones with me, what can I teach them to help them stay safe? I'm already thinking about next year, too, when I had originally planned for the 3yo (will be 4 by then) to join us. I've never seen accidents, don't know what freak things can happen, and have always been mostly afraid of an injury during a fall. I'm not a cautious slow skier and can fly down that easy blue, so I'm not in a situation where my kids want to go faster than me. None of my skiing three are wanting to go fast now, all being cautious. If I will error, it will be on the unprotective end, not the overprotective end. But, I need somebody to shake some reality into me! How do I guide them safely?

Also, all four of us have walkie talkie's when we ski. After the first lesson when I didn't know where my 9yo was (she was in a different group), that did scare me enough to remember the walkie talkies next time. They do know how to use them.

 

[Bing]

Our family is smaller, so easier to corral - we have one 10 year old son who has skiied since 4.

We have always discussed the skier's safety code with the little guy from day one. Stressing, skiing in control, looking out for those behind you, stopping on the side of a run if you need to stop and being aware when crossing over runs.

When we ski as a family we ski " monkey in the middle " so that he must always be between us. We always ski with two way radios, particularly on bigger slopes - for our upcomming vacation, we have upgraded DS' helmet to have audio speakers so that he can always hear us - no music, just his parents in his ears poor kid <g>.

I don't know that that is helpful, but its what we do and we have a skier who is a great skier and can ski fast, but skis in control.

I look forward to hearing from the other divas !

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Your tubing story and kids' injuries gave me the chills and brought back some very dark memories. I am SO glad they now all have helmets. Tubes have minimal control. I'm sure both have had extensive testing and are under doctor's care for this.

The truly best way to get kids in the zone for skiing safety, etc., is to get them enrolled in a season-long kids' program. I don't know if this is available there, but seeking one out, even if elsewhere, is completely and totally worth your while and expense. The kids not only learn from their instructor but from each other. Progress can be phenomenal. Most often, these programs run on Saturdays, some of them all-day for the length of the season. No, it's not inexpensive, but nothing about having 4 kids comes cheap. Consider this an investment in their skiing futures.

Once they begin making friends among their peers, this is a big part of the draw, an incentive to get up and get going every week.

The kids' program where I ski is broken up into two divisions, by age (as young as 3) and runs all season from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., lunch included.

Good luck to you & family!
And welcome to the forum, really sorry that your intro to us was such a frightening story...:(....hope they're both doing okay now!!

 

[marge]

I think one of the most important things is just being aware that these things can and do happen. I hate it when people are oblivious or do the "won't happen to me" mantra. I think when you know it CAN happen you're more aware of safety issues.

I think the most important thing is finding an instructor who talks about those things with the kids. From day one, first thing I told me kids was that if they get going too fast or are heading for a stationary object to fall. Plain and simple. Legs are way easier to fix then heads.

Tyler is one of those very rare instances. It was just a horribly freak accident and one a large group of people who witnessed will all learn from. He's doing better each day and it's going to be a long road but kids are resiliant and tend to bounce back nicely.

Hang in there. Just know that almost everything our kids do involves some element of "what could" and we, as parents, just have to weigh those risks. I think you did the absolute best thing you could by getting them into helmets. Just take it slow for a couple of years until you get the hang of it and they get the hang of it and you'll feel more comfortable.

 

[pinto]

You know, I have never gone tubing outside a controlled tubing hill, and then only a few times. Those things scare me to death (which would probably make some of you laugh, at some of the speeds I ski). I don't even really like sledding. There is a loss of control with those things that I find disconcerting.

I feel for you, and hope that these things aren't too frightening. Some years ago, a couple of kids were seriously injured at Copper when they were sledding (after hours) and hit a groomer. I don't know specifics, really, but I'm guessing it was just one of those things that seemed like a good idea at the time to a family that didn't realize that gigantic machines crawl all over the slopes after they close.

I think the idea of getting into some sort of controlled program is a good one, and then it takes a little time to learn the lay of the land, just like anything. Pretty soon you'll have the experience to know what is and isn't a good idea.

This is an interesting concept to me, though, and I'm glad you brought it up. Some of us have been around ski areas and hills and trees and snow for so long, it's second (first?) nature. But even I didn't know about tree wells until about 5 years ago. It's not necessarily a worry in the East, I don't think, but definitely something to know about in the West.

 

[MaryLou]

I think the skiier's safety code is big to get your kids to understand. And they won't necessarily follow it right away, but at least when you remind them they'll know what you are talking about.

I feel it's safest to be behind my kids when they are skiing, b/c I trust them and their control more than a strangers. I feel I need to act as blocker - maybe b/c our mountain is bigger, but even the green slopes have lots of experts/fast skiers going to the lodge/lifts that are not so cautious. My oldest is 13yo and I think I felt comfortable with not being her blocker just last year (this year...I can't keep up lol).

My kids know how to stop, so they can control the front end, but it's the rear that I protect. If a child can't stop, then they shouldn't be on anything beyond a bunny slope anyway. Make sure their equipment is decent too so they can stop easily (not sure if this is an issue...but when I see my 3yo snow plowing hard I always worry if his edges are sharp) - you wouldn't believe some of the old stuff I've seen kids ski in (one girl in DS's ski school had a boot that was missing a heel - just the 3 screws that hold the heel on were there...wtf were those parents thinking?!).

I can't imagine your fear from the sledding. Trees at the end of a hill are something to avoid lol. It's really not a laughing matter, hubby was in crutches for a winter and had knee PT b/c he twisted it sledding down a hill in our old backyard that had little trees in it (he was with my 'tween nephews who thought it was so cool.. ) - missed the '95/96 ski season which had the most snow ever in NE (I was preggo...so at least he had company at home lol). He's never injured himself skiing, only sledding. Also a girl from my home town was killed right before entering K b/c she was sledding down a driveway into a road (very quiet road..but still), her BF broke both legs...very sad event.

 

[mollmeister]

Re: general safety, others have had good comments. It's hard not to be scared when you hear about big accidents, but all you can do is talk to your kids. My ODS is five and doesn't have the same sense of danger and personal safety as an older person, but we always talk about safety and paying attention when we go to the ski hill. You can't control for all the risks in skiing, but you can prepare them as best you can.

I also ski behind my 5yo. That way I can see if he starts skiing too fast, and hopefully act as a *blocker* if a maniac loses control behind us.

As far as losing kids/keeping track of them if they get separated/wondering where they have been with others, they use this at Copper's ski school, and I think it's a great idea:
https://www.slopetracker.com/

I am wondering if you can just buy it for your kids. My sister skied into the woods by mistake and fell down and had trouble getting up and was *lost* for an hour as a kid. And this was at a tiny hill in MI. This is my big fear at the western resorts with my kids when they will older-- that they'll get separated from the group and something will happen.

 

[pinto]

Re: general safety, others have had good comments. It's hard not to be scared when you hear about big accidents, but all you can do is talk to your kids. My ODS is five and doesn't have the same sense of danger and personal safety as an older person, but we always talk about safety and paying attention when we go to the ski hill. You can't control for all the risks in skiing, but you can prepare them as best you can.

Yes, and because they are kids, repetition, repetition, repetition. The main ones for me have been

*Look around you (especially up the hill) before you start.

*Don't stop in a dangerous or stupid place: under a hill, in the middle of a congested area, in the entrance to a lift line or some other narrow space (DH, not kids, is the worst at this One person stops, then the rest of the group stops, then there are 7 people right where everyone else wants to go.)

*Helmets won't save you if you hit a tree at 30 mph. If the slope is empty, ski in the middle. If the middle is crowded, ski the edge slowly.

*If you get lost or separated, go to the bottom and find ski patrol. (This isn't necessarily a one-size-fits-all rule ... but all families should have their own plan.)

*Never, ever, ever ski trees alone.

I also got my kids cell phones at what some would think is a shockingly young age: my daughter was in 3rd grade, I think. But at that time, it was mainly for skiing and possible separations, and other safety issues. We programmed ski patrol number into it, too. None of her friends had them yet, so she had no one to text but her brother. Besides, it was a cheap pay-as-you-go phone, and she had to pay for it past a minimum level I set. It came in handy a few times. Could we have done without it? Of course. But it was nice. (Again, not suggesting for everyone. Her brother at that age would have lost it in about 10 seconds.)

 

[Robyn]

Oh, I know just how frightening coraling multiple children can be. As a coach of 5 and 6 year olds who each day deals with anywhere from 5-8 kids often without help I feel like it's herding cats at times. As others have said we discuss often the skier responsibilty code and what to do if they're hurt, or lost and even what to do if I (or their parent when skiing with them) got hurt. We have skied up to the emergency phones on the mountain and I've taught them to use them. I introduce them to slope watch and ski patrol so they're not afraid of them. I point out employee uniforms so they know who they can go to for help if they ever need it. And, as someone else said repetition is essential. I say it over and over and over again. And I'll ask them randomly, even now when we're just a couple weeks from the end of our coaching season.

 

[marge]

I forgot to mention ( I had talked about it with someone else) that my daughter and I use those walkie talkies now. We're at a small area in MI and they work well being she's always on the same runs as me, just up or down from me.

 

[deannatoby]

These posts are so helpful. Please keep them coming!!

I'm taking all these suggestions very seriously and to heart. Very good advice.

 

[deannatoby]

to the person who sent me a private message, I have to have a few more posts to reply. I have a response for you with some more questions. Working on getting my permission now!

 

[geargrrl]

I am bumping this.

One thing we did in our family was to have serious consequences if the rules were not obeyed. It only took one time of " no straightlining down the hill or we'll lock your skis in the car" for them to understand that we really meant it about safety rules.

 

[little one]

MSL is right on target with getting the kids into a program. I started my girls at ages 5 and 7 and it was just too nerve wracking to ski with them all the time. I immediately signed them up for season-long programs - don't get me wrong, accidents can happen anywhere, but it is helpful for them to start out on the right foot, skiing with professionals. We also always used walkie-talkies ... but make sure they are put into the chargers at night! Skiing as a family is absolutely the best - my girls are now 19 and 21 and both are freestyle ski coaches! so ... keep the faith ... it gets better ... as a matter of fact ... it gets awesome!!!!

 

[Severine]

Thank you for bumping this as I missed it the first time around! Good to know as we get the kids on the slopes this year.

 

[ann k]

We also use the "monkey in the middle" technique with our 4 yr old. I still don't feel comfortable skiing by myself with her unless it is on the bunny hill. Skiing this way insures she is taking the safest pathway down the hill. Although her turns are pretty decent and she can stop very well she doesn't know how to spot an icy patch (big problem in the East) or which skiers might be beginners and get out of control. So I always lead the pathway and my husband follows so he can be there if she falls and needs help. I also make sure to stay away from the sides with big drop offs or areas with trees.

 

[marzNC]

as a timeless concern for parents of young kids, especially when the parents are relatively new to snowsports themselves.

While it's off season for most Divas, the season is just ramping up during the school holidays in Australia that start during early season there.

 

[Moonrocket]

I taught my daughter my cell number in pre-school after finding a lost boy who knew his dad’s cell number. We also wrote it in her coat in case she forgot. We always have a meet at x if we get separated point. Although she knows to ask any lifty or employee for help. I told her to seek out a mom too.

Funny thing is a few years ago we got separated in the trees when she was probably 6. I’m freaking out and I start hearing my name in loud male voices. Two twenty something snowboarders had seen her calling for mom and asked if they could help her yell too. They were awesome.

I still have to get after her about looking uphill before starting from a stop. There was a period of time where I had to threaten to leave and did once if she didn’t make turns and ski in control. I tell her that our passes only cover half of the trail- so she needs to choose a side to ski on (on bump runs where she used to like to traverse all the way across- I think it’s safer if you give faster skiers a clear path to pass on.)

I remind her to give room to those that look unsteady and never pass close on a snowboarder’s heel side where they might not see you. On powder days I tell her to whoop it up in the trees in case nobody I’d looking for a 4’ tall kid- but now she’s almost as tall as me (sniff, sniff).

 

[AltaEgo]

When I ski with my favorite 6-year old, who loves to go straight and fast, the rule is that he stays behind me unless we are skiing to a particular point ("yellow Slow sign on left side", lift entrance) and waits for me. Fortunately, he is awesome at getting himself up, so I rarely have to hike uphill. I keep the stopping points far enough for him to have some fun but close enough to avoid getting separated.

I wish someone would build FRS radios into kids helmets. It would be a huge asset.

 

[mustski]

Mammoth ski school lost my son when he was only 5. We had a terrifying half an hour while we searched for him and finally found him ourselves. My advice would be two fold: write your phone number on the little's arm with sharpie. That way if he/she gets separated from you, someone can call you. I would also consider a throwaway cell phone with your number programmed in. Stick it in the little's jacket pocket.