Teaching your kids

[2knees]

Any tips would be greatly appreciated. My daughters have gone about 6 or 7 times now between last year and this and my older one is getting frustrated. She really really wants to ski but is having trouble doing anything besides going straight with a semi wedge. I tried the tip harness for her but that isnt going to help with turning. Not sure the leash thing would help there either. I'm not real good at explaining how to ski, hell, i dont even know what i'm doing most of the time.

they've been in lessons 3 times now but don't seem to get much out of it. If i'm going to shell out that coin but get no more out of it then what i can help them with, i'm thinking of bagging anymore lessons.

anyway, any suggestions would be appreciated.

oh, the younger one, she doesnt care. all she wants to do is go straight and fast or have me hold her in my arms and ski fast. I'm not too worried there, not sure she's really into it. which is fine with me, i'm not pushing anything on them.

 

[Puck it]

I taught my daughter. I just kept skiing with her. Gave her reassurance that she could do it. Now, she goes every where I go. She was pretty much following me any where in her second year at 10 except for trees. She started those at 12. She is 15 now.

 

[Angus]

Skiing with my 8 & 13 year olds last weekend, I was thinking about this question. What I did right and wrong.

My 13 year old started off with after school lessons and floundered. I then picked up and he skis anything on the hill now pretty proficiently. My 8 year old was taught by me - no ski school.

my tips

1) depending on age, start on warm days late in year.
2) keep the poles away for as long as possible. I was adamant with the 13 year old and relented with the younger child and having poles really hindered the development.
3) demonstrate how turning into the hill automatically makes you slow down/stop - the actual demonstration I've found is very re-assuring.
4) push them past the snowplow quickly - on the first-second day out I kept emphasizing getting their skis parallel between turns.
5) play lots of follow the leader. they can watch you shift edges, un-weight, etc.
6) teach them how to slip slide down a hill - so if they ever get into a tough situation (i.e ice) - they know they can get out of anything. did this last week at cannon on a bad stretch of bypass
7) ski bumps with them.

 

[jrmagic]

Other than a couple of intro lessons for my older son, I have taught both my kids. I think its great that you arent putting any pressure on them cause all that will do is push them away. I tried the wege thingy and it really didnt work for either of them. What I had the most success with was make a game of it and see if hey could follow behind me on the same line as I traversed across the hill. My younger guy had some issues with initiating wedge turns so I worked with him on keeping his arms out in front of him like a steering wheel and when it was time to turn left, to move his arms to the left and to turn his head to where he wanted to end up and vice versa for ehading to the right. He still wasnt able to complete the turns but it got him started. Then I worked on having him lift his uphill skii off the snow a bit which let him complete the turns. Hope it helps a bit.

 

[Euler]

We had my son follow behind a classmate of his on the magic carpet served bunny hill for the first few afternoon out, then I skied with him on the larger bunny hill several times. He pretty much went straight to parallel without spending any time in a "pizza" stage. Watching other kids on the hill, one thing I'm glad I emphasized is that he should control his speed with turns. It always strikes me as strange to see little kids straightlining it down a pitch thats just a bit too steep for them, controlling their speed with a power-wedge. I think its much better to keep the kids on gentle enough terrain that they can practice making turns rather than braking until they are quite proficient.

Last Sunday my kids (9 and 12 now) out-skied me on Fallen Timbers and on the bumps on Overbrook at Mt. Snow, I really couldn't keep up with them,:-D

 

[2knees]

My younger guy had some issues with initiating wedge turns so I worked with him on keeping his arms out in front of him like a steering wheel and when it was time to turn left, to move his arms to the left and to turn his head to where he wanted to end up and vice versa for ehading to the right. He still wasnt able to complete the turns but it got him started. Then I worked on having him lift his uphill skii off the snow a bit which let him complete the turns. Hope it helps a bit.

I'm gonna give this a shot. Thanks

one thing I'm glad I emphasized is that he should control his speed with turns. It always strikes me as strange to see little kids straightlining it down a pitch thats just a bit too steep for them, controlling their speed with a power-wedge. I think its much better to keep the kids on gentle enough terrain that they can practice making turns rather than braking until they are quite proficient.

this is exactly my fear. I took my older daughter up the chair, off the carpet runs, a few times at both sundown and ragged. Once the pitch gets past the completely mellow magic carpet type runs, she simply can not control her speed at all. I end up skiing backwards and just catching her to slow her down. I cant keep doing that cause she needs to learn how to control herself without me being the safety valve, so to speak. Its dangerous. (and painful for me :wink

but some good things for me to try so far, thanks all.

 

[o3jeff]

I'll be at sundown in the morning saturday with my 7yo nephew. He has only been out less than 10 times and we have him riding the lift to the top since his 3rd or 4th time out. He is skiing in the wedge and has real good control. He has been seeing me doing short quick turns and I see him trying to figure it out since he is really determined to learn to ski good since I told him once he learns that I would bring him to a big mountain. If you want bring one of them saturday and we'll see if we can get her going or hopefully Mr.Magic will be working!

 

[Greg]

My 7 year old has been skiing independently for a few years. She's still wedging pretty hard, but is beginning to turn (while in a wedge) more regularly. I just need to get her to unweight her uphill ski and try to get them more parallel. My 4 year old is just starting to ski independently. I'm only comfortable doing it on pitches that lead to a flat run-out. What I did for both of them:

Don't make it all about the skiing. They should just like being at the hill. Snack time is still as big a part of it as on-hill time for them. I only ski with one of them at a time so I can give full attention to them. They only both go if mom goes too since my wife is now comfortable skiing with my oldest alone, and then I concentrate on my youngest. Don't try to squeeze in a simultaneous session. Teaching your kids to ski is a major commitment and it's not easy so do what you can to mimimize your frustration, and thus theirs.

The way I did the skiing thing was put an Wedgie-Edgie (rubber band tip lock thing) on the tips. I then ski backwards in front of them with a pole looped under the tip lock to control their speed. This is the JimG. method and I think it works great. The pressure on the tip lock from the pole forces them into a wedge. It's up to them to balance themselves a bit, and they won't be doing it by you pulling them back via the harness. After countless tiring runs skiing backwards with them in front of you, they will eventually be putting less pressure on the pole as they apply the wedge themselves. Soon, you'll be able to remove the pole all together. Again, that's the point I'm at now with the youngest and I still only do it on pitches that lead to a flat run-out where I know she'll "coast" to a stop anyway. After some independent skiing with the tip-lock try taking that off and then all the greens are in play.

Finally, make it a point to come out to the hill with me while I'm skiing with my youngest. That will help me as much as you as the kids will likely inspire each other. In fact, we should plan a day that we all (me, you and Brian) tear up Sunnyside with the kids together. We should do it soon though. My youngest is already tackling Tom's and will tire of Sunnyside soon.

Good luck. It's a lot of work, but it's very rewarding.

 

[bvibert]

In fact, we should plan a day that we all (me, you and Brian) tear up Sunnyside with the kids together.

I'm totally up for that, my daughter would love it, and seeing your daughter skiing well would probably be inspiration for her.

I'd also like to see the tip-lock/pole thing in action. I've tried it with my daughter with very little success....

 

[Greg]

I'm totally up for that, my daughter would love it, and seeing your daughter skiing well would probably be inspiration for her.

I'd also like to see the tip-lock/pole thing in action. I've tried it with my daughter with very little success....

Where did you try it? The trail has to be steep enough for you to get going at a pretty good clip. Little Joe is a good place to start.

 

[bvibert]

Where did you try it? The trail has to be steep enough for you to get going at a pretty good clip. Little Joe is a good place to start.

Little Joe is where I tried it. I don't know what I was doing wrong, but it wasn't working all that well...

 

[Greg]

Little Joe is where I tried it. I don't know what I was doing wrong, but it wasn't working all that well...

What exactly was happening?

 

[bvibert]

What exactly was happening?

Mostly I guess she has trouble letting off a little from the wedge to get going, kind of an all or nothing deal. I'd tell to start going and start myself, she'd delay a few seconds, then let up all together and come flying into my pole (which by that point was an inch or so away). Once the edgy thing hit my pole it would stretch out until she came to an abrupt stop and toppled over. Or she would start when I did, but still let up on the wedge too much, causing the edgie wedgie to stretch to it's limits. I'm starting to think that she's just too heavy for that method. Either that or she just hasn't mastered the pizza move enough yet...

I want to bring her up there sometime when it isn't too busy, so I have a little more room to let her go a bit without worrying about running into other people. It was pretty damn busy the last time we went...

 

[JimG.]

My 7 year old has been skiing independently for a few years. She's still wedging pretty hard, but is beginning to turn (while in a wedge) more regularly. I just need to get her to unweight her uphill ski and try to get them more parallel. My 4 year old is just starting to ski independently. I'm only comfortable doing it on pitches that lead to a flat run-out. What I did for both of them:

Don't make it all about the skiing. They should just like being at the hill. Snack time is still as big a part of it as on-hill time for them. I only ski with one of them at a time so I can give full attention to them. They only both go if mom goes too since my wife is now comfortable skiing with my oldest alone, and then I concentrate on my youngest. Don't try to squeeze in a simultaneous session. Teaching your kids to ski is a major commitment and it's not easy so do what you can to mimimize your frustration, and thus theirs.

The way I did the skiing thing was put an Wedgie-Edgie (rubber band tip lock thing) on the tips. I then ski backwards in front of them with a pole looped under the tip lock to control their speed. This is the JimG. method and I think it works great. The pressure on the tip lock from the pole forces them into a wedge. It's up to them to balance themselves a bit, and they won't be doing it by you pulling them back via the harness. After countless tiring runs skiing backwards with them in front of you, they will eventually be putting less pressure on the pole as they apply the wedge themselves. Soon, you'll be able to remove the pole all together. Again, that's the point I'm at now with the youngest and I still only do it on pitches that lead to a flat run-out where I know she'll "coast" to a stop anyway. After some independent skiing with the tip-lock try taking that off and then all the greens are in play.

Finally, make it a point to come out to the hill with me while I'm skiing with my youngest. That will help me as much as you as the kids will likely inspire each other. In fact, we should plan a day that we all (me, you and Brian) tear up Sunnyside with the kids together. We should do it soon though. My youngest is already tackling Tom's and will tire of Sunnyside soon.

Good luck. It's a lot of work, but it's very rewarding.

Well explained.

That's how I taught all 3 of my boys. A little tiring skiing backwards, but a hell of alot better than skiing backwards and bending over to hold their ski tips together by hand.

Remember, they are out there to be with you, not necessarily to be great skiers right now anyway. My 7 year old loves snack time and snowball fights as much as skiing although now he just wants to ski on steeper and steeper terrain. Keep it all about fun.

 

[witch hobble]

You must exude fun....it must be coming out of your pores. don't be afraid to be a total goof as it is all for the greater good. Dividends that you will be paid years from now. And it must be about the whole experience, not just the skiing. Only focus on just enough technique to keep them safe, and obviously frame your suggestions as something else they could try and not "what they are doing wrong". Go into the lodge often, let them watch the terrain parkers in the park, talk to friendly lifties, etc. Give them the big picture about how cool ski areas are and how much the sport means to you.

I once recieved a hero's treatment for a whole week because (after we had one too many cold lift rides) when we went in for cafeteria hot chocolate, I produced a bag of marshmallows from the gear bag. You would have thought I saved a kitten from a burning building.

Time on skis and seeing their friends or siblings doing it, and having fun, are what is going to make them improve.

 

[billski]

Ahem 2knees. It looks like the NY times wants your attention, please:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/01/22/travel/escapes/22skitot.html?hpw
Pleasures and Perils of Teaching Your Own Tot on the Slopes

published today

 

[jack97]

Something to consider, kids will stay on a wedge for a while. Leg muscles are still developing. Their center of mass is lower so the coordination and balance will be a little off.

IIRC my daughter finally made parrallel turns when she was 8 or 9, doesn't seem out or line from what other people have said. Another data point is look at the ski school and race teams, most are in wedges or still have the hint of wedges even with so many days logged. The muscle development to ski parrallel just takes time.

 

[mikestaple]

Follow the leader and skiing backwards are great ways to incorporate the ideas of "tag" or chase down the parents which all kids love to do.

Also, I've found that you need to get them off the magic carpet bunny slope and onto a nice long green. They often just don't weigh enough to get up a decent amount of speed to make turns. A "real" green will give them the steep and length to see you make turns and mimic you.

All three of mine have excelled after ski school at Sugarloaf - long and decent slope on the bunny hill and then a long green to move up to. I think the snow mobile ride back to the top adds to the fun.

I've done the harness and it is good for the very young but find it counter productive once they get to 4 or 5.

If all else fails - promise snacks. Deliver on the hot chocolate. They'll come around. Very worth it.

 

[mikestaple]

Let me add - you need to stress that they need to stand up on their own and get off the chairlift on their own. The harness is great for lifting them onto the chair, but they need to realize that only they can control themselves off the chair. Otherwise, they'll treat the whole thing like a fantastic amusement park ride.

And yes they will wipe out and you will strain all your muscles lifting them off the snow - but they will pick it up quickly adn be all the more confident and a better skier for it.

 

[hiroto]

Nobody recommend leash? I thought it was quite helpful for my daughter for her first year. It is so much easier on me. It has advantage of being able to completely let go the kid on easy part by slacking while pull her back on a steeper section. Kid is doing all the steering and deciding where to go. Here is my daughter, two years old being leashed by her brother, 7 years old.



My basic policy has been to turn to control speed (no power wedge) and stay on easy hill for very very long time. Only take to steeper hill when she can control the speed by turning. This season, at age of 8 she started to show solid control to be able to handle easy black trail with confidence for the first time.