{"id":44702,"date":"2019-03-14T08:23:36","date_gmt":"2019-03-14T15:23:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=44702"},"modified":"2020-05-22T13:04:22","modified_gmt":"2020-05-22T20:04:22","slug":"10-important-lessons-i-learned-teaching-my-kid-to-ski","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/snowsports\/10-important-lessons-i-learned-teaching-my-kid-to-ski","title":{"rendered":"10 Important Lessons I Learned Teaching My Kid to Ski"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last March, when my daughter Eloise was 2, we drove an hour south from our house in Bozeman, Montana, to Big Sky Resort. My husband and I had already taken her to ski five times or so at Bridger Bowl, our closer ski area, and I liked the idea of taking her to \u00a0Big Sky, the mountain where I used to ski patrol. <\/span><\/p>\n

It was sunny and warm, so we parked and got into our snow pants, coats, helmets and ski boots at the car. I clipped Eloise\u2019s ski harness over her gear, then strapped our skis onto my backpack, loaded her into a plastic sled and towed her through the parking lot. She giggled when the sled lurched over gravelly snow, and friends from Bozeman waved as they passed by on the free parking lot shuttle.<\/span><\/p>\n

After our first magic carpet ride, Eloise demanded we go up the chairlift. So we loaded the high-speed Swift Current lift, snuggled our way up and then swooshed into the burrito shack for an 11am lunch. Afterward, she did not want to put her ski harness back on. A shrieking tantrum ensued on the deck, with a fabulous view of the rock-lined cirque above and the rugged tram face. Most scenic temper tantrum ever?<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI like to cry, Mama,\u201d Eloise said when we walked back inside, finally calm and cheerful again. I tried not to laugh. Of the many lessons I\u2019ve learned from my daughter, here was one: Sometimes, we all need the cathartic release of pent-up emotions. <\/span><\/p>\n

She put her harness on by herself (\u201cMYSELF!\u201d) and laughed as we skied toward Lower Morningstar, one of Big Sky\u2019s classic green runs, pointing at other kids on the trail and making a solid effort to follow my directions (\u201cHands on your knees. Look forward,\u201d I said).<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Two

The author and her family tackle the magic carpet. (Photo Credit: Emily Stifler Wolfe)<\/p><\/div>\n

After a few minutes, we stopped to take photos in the sun. But then, still at the top of the trail, Eloise decided her chin was cold. Which is what you get when you refuse a neck warmer. Full-blown meltdown. The summit towered above us, sun shining off the steeps of the Gullies. I take back what I wrote earlier: This might actually have been the most scenic spot of all time for a temper tantrum.<\/span><\/p>\n

I scooped Eloise up and skied with her in my arms down to the base area for hot chocolate (for her) and coffee (for me) before heading home. \u201cI want to ski again, Mama,\u201d she kept saying on the drive. \u201cI want to ski again soon.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Taking your toddler skiing might seem crazy, and sometimes it is. <\/span>Eloise is now 3, and so far, teaching her to ski has really meant familiarizing her with the gear, the exhilaration and the challenges of the mountains. <\/span><\/p>\n

Like everything with kids, you don\u2019t want to be pushy, but you do want to challenge them to try new things. It\u2019s the same balance you\u2019ll find in everyday life with a toddler who perhaps doesn\u2019t want to eat her broccoli. <\/span><\/p>\n

It won\u2019t be long until she\u2019s dragging me down the rolling funnel that is Bridger Bowl\u2019s Hully Gully, and soon after, beating me up the 400-foot boot pack to the top of the Ridge, a classic hike to some of the steepest chutes at our local ski area, Bridger Bowl. Someday, maybe, we\u2019ll be regular ski partners\u2014that is, until she ditches me to ski with her friends. Until then, I\u2019m going to enjoy the process and take it as a learning experience for both of us.<\/span><\/p>\n

10 Things My Toddler Taught Me About Skiing<\/b><\/h4>\n

1. Forget your poles but not your ski expertise.<\/b> Toddlers don\u2019t need poles and neither do their parents. After all, you need your hands for lift loading and flying tackles. But bring your pack (filled with warm layers, sunscreen, extra gloves, water) and your mountain skills (like knowing it\u2019s OK to turn around and call it quits). All of that will come in handy when trying to wrangle the kid gear (and the kid) to the mountain.<\/p>\n

2. You are the boss of your own skis.<\/b> Screaming \u201cI want to go over there!\u201d and pointing doesn\u2019t make your skis turn. You have to drive them with your legs.<\/p>\n

3. Keep your knees bent.<\/b> This would have saved me a lot in orthopedic bills over the years. (I\u2019ve had six knee surgeries.) It\u2019s going to help Eloise immensely with lesson No. 2.<\/p>\n

4. It\u2019s OK to fall.<\/b> And sometimes you fall a lot. But you do have to get up and keep trying. Someone, please remind me of this in my career.<\/p>\n

5. Don\u2019t be a noodle.<\/b> It\u2019s great to have help, but in life (and skiing) you\u2019ve got to stand up on your own. On that note.<\/p>\n

6. Ask for what you want. <\/b>If you don\u2019t ask, you definitely won\u2019t get it.<\/p>\n

7. Bring snacks.<\/b> Know when to stop and eat them. Which is often.<\/p>\n

8. Don\u2019t be too competitive with your friends. <\/b>Seriously! This goes for parents and kids. Everyone learns at a different rate.<\/p>\n

9. Get hot chocolate and french fries.<\/b> But not every time. Healthy food makes you feel good. And on busy Saturdays, it\u2019s no fun fighting through a crowded lodge. If you must have hot chocolate, bring a thermos from home to share.<\/p>\n

10. Have fun.<\/b> Hug on the chairlift. Point out how pretty the mountains are. Squeal when you\u2019re going fast. Eat snow when you fall. Skiing is the best!<\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Last March, when my daughter Eloise was 2, we drove an hour south from our house in Bozeman, Montana, to Big Sky Resort. My husband and I had already taken her to ski five times or so at Bridger Bowl, our closer ski area, and I liked the idea of taking her to \u00a0Big Sky, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":44706,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[156,1044,727,466,364],"internal-tag":[],"class_list":["post-44702","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-snowsports","tag-family","tag-kids","tag-latest-posts","tag-optoutside","tag-snowsports"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/snowsports\/10-important-lessons-i-learned-teaching-my-kid-to-ski","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"10 Important Lessons I Learned Teaching My Kid to Ski","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/snowsports\/10-important-lessons-i-learned-teaching-my-kid-to-ski","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/snowsports\/10-important-lessons-i-learned-teaching-my-kid-to-ski"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/03\/Emily-1296.jpg?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/03\/Emily-1296.jpg?fit=1500%2C1125"},"articleSection":"Snowsports","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Michelle Flandreau"}],"creator":["Michelle Flandreau"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":["family","kids","latest posts","optoutside","snowsports"],"dateCreated":"2019-03-14T15:23:36Z","datePublished":"2019-03-14T15:23:36Z","dateModified":"2020-05-22T20:04:22Z"},"rendered":"