When should children begin to use poles?

[ski chick]

I have listened to many opinions from professionals (all different??) Very confused! Thanks for your help.

 

[Jilly]

Kids will need their poles when they are skiing parallel consistently, heading up the chair and skiing blues. I wouldn't give they any before that.

 

[ski chick]

Thanks Jilly!

I was hoping you would respond. My seven year old has been asking for them and he is doing all that you said and more. Just needed a trusted Diva's opinion. Thanks!

 

[Jilly]

Any time before this is asking for trouble. The kids will use them as swords, light sabres etc. Not as skiing poles. So get them, and make him pole himself around now - no more being towed my mommy!

 

[Kano]

Jilly -- question on that being towed by mom's poles.

Saw a mom snapping at her musta-been-well-trained-to-grab-mommy's-pole kid this weekend, telling said kid that it was high time she figured out how to skate her ownself to the lift and quit grabbing on, cuz you KNOW how mommy hates that! Kidlet didn't have her own poles to help with the skating process (that's HARD, you know? especially going up a bit!)

If this mom figures kidlet should be "weaned," then should kidlet get to have her own poles?

Kano

 

[Jilly]

Skating without poles is next to impossible at "kidlet" age. They don't have the muscle strength or possibly the co-ordination to do it. Mom is trying to wean off and the child may not be physically ready. I'd have to see the child to know. If the kid can skate then maybe its time.

 

[Kano]

In this case, the poor kidlet wasn't skating, she was managing, but not skating, and mom's attitude wasn't fun. That delightful incident occurred about the time I started thinking it HAD to be lunch time! There were tantrumming yardsaled kids strewn all over the run I'd just come off, with moms in not much better shape, for the most part.

(it was also around the time I'd managed to hunt DH down to let him know I was headed in to pee -- which was, it seemed, a horrible imposition on HIM. I got this look from him: He needed some lunch too!)

Kano

 

[Jilly]

Well that was another thought. That would be about the time that my mother started spelling things. Somebody's T I R E D!! Thinking back I'm not sure if it was me or her!! More likely her.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Poles---I think we relented when he was around 8??? The weird thing is that the kids become aware and self-conscious of not having them after a certain point and start "clamoring." Many little (or maybe not so little?) tiffs about that here!

 

[marge]

My daughter just got poles this year (after MUCH begging) and while we were recently in CO she realized that mom can't slingshot her or help her along when she has her own poles to hang onto! They are nice in the liftline though.

 

[Native Vail Gal]

Any time before this is asking for trouble. The kids will use them as swords, light sabres etc. Not as skiing poles. So get them, and make him pole himself around now - no more being towed my mommy!

For EXCELLENT pole techniques...please see film of NVG :ROTF: (smallest skier) in 1969!!! She TRULY is the Queen of Poles! (and we're talking at about 3-4 years old here). :ROTF: This was at the base.

On the hill, though, dad carried our poles most of the time! It was easier to "touch our knees" without them, and master the snow plow and parellel thingy, but then we had them when we needed them again because dad carried them! I love my parents! Gave me the joy of the sport SOOOOOOOO early!

[MEDIA]https://s170.photobucket.com/albums/u267/kellyincolorado/?action=view&current=7a6df326.flv[/MEDIA]

 

[cwmscm]

so funny how my kids beg for polls. My seven year old just started using polls and my four year old is so jealous. Because they did not learn with polls they are both great skaters on skis. Much stronger skills than me.