Advice on having a baby and balancing skiing

[jarrodski]

.... sorry junior... dad's gotta live too. haha.

make it happen, if it's a priority to you, it will be for your kids as they grow. it wont be easy.

 

[tekweezle]

I have friends doing the parent tag team ski babysit thing with their 1 year old. Hats off to them! Requires lots of patience and understanding. Helps that the mom seems to really enjoy skiing.

Sent from a Freedompop HTC Evo 4G

 

[BenedictGomez]

I would definitely suggest putting kids in a reoccurring lesson/program it gets them good fast and it gives you some time with the wife.

I imagine it's also good in that "routine" works for kids. How much do these programs cost per season?

 

[thetrailboss]

I've got a three year old. I've been able to ski the same amount by trading off time with my wife (I ski and she stays home; in the afternoon she goes out and I stay). It's hard. You have to plan ahead and be flexible. We're now starting to ski together--we go for a few hours and keep expectations low.


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[steamboat1]

The year my wife was pregnant I skied 1 day. The first year my daughter was born I skied 2 days.

 

[deadheadskier]

I am not skiing today as I'm helping my wife put a crib together.

 

[ceo]

I assume that means congratulations are in order?

 

[deadheadskier]

soon.....dhs 2.0 is due right around St. Patty's day.

 

[spring_mountain_high]

soon.....dhs 2.0 is due right around St. Patty's day.

congrats, DHS!

it's tough getting out with little ones...i have a 5 yo and a 3 month old...started the older boy skiing last year which helps make it a family activity...the first 3 years i probably averaged about 6 days per season. you live closer to skiing than i do so it may be easier for you to manage a few hours on the hill more often...good luck with everything!

 

[deadheadskier]

Thanks !

 

[Smellytele]

I imagine it's also good in that "routine" works for kids. How much do these programs cost per season?

Some are close to 800 Clams.

 

[SkiFanE]

Some are close to 800 Clams.

I wish...Sunday River has 2 programs, I have 1 kid in each...forget exactly (early signup discount) but it was close to $2500 for both. Not sure we'll continue next year, we've done it with all 3 kids for years. But we don't force kids out if they really really don't want to go, this weekend we gave lil guy day off - Saturday he was stuck on SR chair for 45mins, and came off frigid and quit at lunch, then Sunday he was adamant about not going and we agreed, but oldest kid wanted to go to her program. Weekend before both kids got sick. So I'd say we get 50% usage... It's tough to "force" your kid out in frigid days because you are dying to get the pow (Saturday)....some kids are not as addicted as their parents So not sure the $ we pay for these programs is worth it anymore...(and college tuition in budget now)...I'll have a 15yo next winter to stay home with lil guy...we'll see. They are both excellent skiers and have a life-long skill, and we can ski the entire mountain together.. I guess that's the ultimate goal, right?

 

[dlague]

soon.....dhs 2.0 is due right around St. Patty's day.

Thats cool!


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[dlague]

I kind of think that we had it easy! We have a hers, mine and ours situation going. I put my first son in lessons at three. I had a 12 year hiatus prior to that due to my ex not skiing. That sucked! Once my son was skiing that changed. When I met my current wife I talked about skiing a lot and while she did not ski took it up. She put her boys 5 & 7 at the time in lessons immediately and they caught on. By the time our youngest was born a couple years later we were entrenched into skiing. We kept skiing with our other boys by using sitters and grand parents for the first 2 years then I tethered and at 3 we put him in daily lessons while on a slope side vacation. We never looked back after that.

I feel lucky about how it worked out. I think the key to getting the kids out there is to show them movies, ski shows, hang out at ski ares, etc.

not for everyone but worked for us.


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[witch hobble]

They are both excellent skiers and have a life-long skill, and we can ski the entire mountain together.. I guess that's the ultimate goal, right?

100%

Proximity or access are gonna be key for the OP. Manhattan makes it tough to scoot out and ski for an afternoon and be back for dinner. Buy a condo? Seasonal rental weekend getaway?

 

[Riverskier]

This was my plan and it worked ok. It helped having a decent mountain (Sunday River) an hour and 15 minutes away. I would go up Sunday mornings and be on the slopes by opening bell at 8, ski 4 hours straight (15-20 runs), have a couple quick beers in the lodge, and home by 2:30. I encouraged the wife to have as much personal time as she wanted on Saturdays, and on Sundays after I got home. Between that arrangement, a few pto days, and a 6 month season I still got in 30 plus days each year. Oh, wife was not a skier, so I guess that helped quite a bit too, as there was no time on the slopes to share, just time in general.

About to find out in March. My wife doesn't ski. I will do whatever it takes to make sure she has her time, so that I can get in 1 day each weekend. My wife's pretty cool. I don't see it being an issue for me.

 

[SkiFanE]

100%

Proximity or access are gonna be key for the OP. Manhattan makes it tough to scoot out and ski for an afternoon and be back for dinner. Buy a condo? Seasonal rental weekend getaway?

Has to be seasonal, in my opinion. Carting all ski gear up, as well as remembering all the toothbrushes, PJs, and stuff for 3 kids for even a weekend of skiing is a major effort. If it's a condo you're renting for night/weekend, add food to list. With our own place, we pack a cooler and a bag of cereal and bread, a 'normal' outfit or two and the laundry basket of last weekend's laundered ski clothes and we're off (after dinner and rush hour). Rinse, repeat...every.single.weekend. No way I could do that often with random places and hotels for family ski time. No dealing with passes or lines to buy them.

 

[Domeskier]

Hold off having kids until Xanadu opens!

 

[HD333]

Has to be seasonal, in my opinion. Carting all ski gear up, as well as remembering all the toothbrushes, PJs, and stuff for 3 kids for even a weekend of skiing is a major effort. If it's a condo you're renting for night/weekend, add food to list. With our own place, we pack a cooler and a bag of cereal and bread, a 'normal' outfit or two and the laundry basket of last weekend's laundered ski clothes and we're off (after dinner and rush hour). Rinse, repeat...every.single.weekend. No way I could do that often with random places and hotels for family ski time. No dealing with passes or lines to buy them.

+100
Every Friday we pack up cooler, and a small bag. Leaving 90% of your stuff up at the condo/house makes the getting away part much easier. If we didn't have the seasonal rental I am not sure I could handle lugging everything back and forth each weekend.

 

[MadMadWorld]

....don't have one....doh!

Okay well my advice is that you find ways for her to go out and have time with her friends that interfere with skiing the least. I have my wife plan "girls nights" on a Friday night, during school vacations and when conditions are poor (rain). I make sure to tally everything so that I can use it for ammunition later on when I need a ski weekend. My wife also prefers if I take a day off from work instead of going on the weekend.