Conference moira::parenting_v3

Ours hasn't reached that age yet, but I worked as a ski instructor for about
10 years some of that time teaching kids.

My comment is that it varies greatly.  I have seen kids taken for their first
time skiing at ~20 months who were up to it and loved it.  I have also seen
kids at 3-4 years who were still not strong or coordinated enough to do basic
stuff.  This made learning to ski miserable for them.

I would think that if your daughter is active and likes being outside in the
snow then learning to ski is a reasonable thing to try at that age.  I would
definitely put her in a ski school which has a good reputation for childrens
programs (SkiWee or one of the other organized "methods" is a good hint).
Also remember to keep the periods on snow SHORT at first.

Dick

    The "SkiWee"-type programs I looked into required that the child be
    three or four.
    
    -Tracy
    

The timing on the note is very appropriate for me.  I have been thinking the
same thing.  Is my daughter (21 months) ready to start yet.

I looked into Ski-wee.  Most of them require the child to be 3 1/2 to 4 and
definately potty-trained.

I bought my daughter a pair of those cheap ski's that strap onto regular winter
boots.  We will be going this weekend for the first time with her, so I will
let you know how it goes.  The one time that she has been in the snow (we live
in Arizona) she loved it and loves to be outside, so I am keeping my fingers
crossed that she will enjoy it.

I plan on letting her set her own limits on how much and how long.  I want her
to enjoy it, but will let her set the pace.

Any other advice on how to get started would be appreciated.

Barbara

    I was also considering starting Nick out this season at approx 2 1/2, 
    and found some very useful information to this regard in the Skiing
    notes file. In addition to whatever advice you get here, you may want 
    to check it out as well.
    
    Good luck!

	I put my oldest son in Ski Wee at 4 years old. He did not
like walking up the hill and felt he knew enough already and did not
need lessons. When he was 7 he asked to go skiing and I told him not
with me until he takes lessons. He joined Ski Wee again and in one
year went from class A to class F expert. He has great form and does
everything correct with no bad habits. I strongly recomend this program
to anyone. I was amazed when I saw him ski ! I do think that the kids should
be at least 5 to 6 years old. They either don't have the attention span or
they just plain aren't strong enough or have that agility. The program is
expensive, $52 dollars for a full day, 9-3:30 and that includes lunch at
Mount Wachusette (508-464-2300) ask for the Ski Wee ski school.


	-Steve-

    We put Daniela on skis (snow boots plus cheap skis plus poles) at 26
    months.  She first played with the skis, walking in them inside on teh
    carpet.  The first time outdoors (VAil, sunshine, warmth) wasn't as
    easy as the skis SLID!!!  A very earnest, pushing Grampa (a WWII Ski
    Trooper) didn't help.  But he got his photo opportunity.  
    
    After that, we let her play with the skis and poles, like toys outside
    and then last week she went to Mt. Tom with another friend her age and
    grownups pulled them around with ropes.  That seemed to go over pretty
    well.  
    
    I think it depends on what any of us mean by "ski".  Personally I think
    it would be an extraordinary 2 year old or 3 year old who would be
    sliding down hills in a coordinated fashion.  For us, the answer is to
    make it available and see what she does with it.  I'll certainly look
    into classes when she gets older.  

Well, you see babies skiing like pros here all the time.

We started both of ours when they were about 3 years old.  The older one took
to it like a fish to water.  He passed the 2nd level exam at 4 and was one of 
the youngest ever to get his 3rd star (usually around 10-12, he was 6).

Markus took his skis off whenever you weren't looking for the first season.  
Then at 4 yrs, he started skiing like he'd been doing it all his life.

You will not find schools here that teach real skiing until about 2 to 3 yrs
old.  Then they are baby slopes on a specially prepared snow playground.  They
begin taking the kids out onto the piste at around 5 years old.  Most ski
schools have half day classes which is more than enough for the little ones.

The important thing is to have proper boots and skis.  No poles.  Without the
boots, they can't control the direction the skis go.  Without real skis, they
have no edges to hold on.  The "baby sets" (little wooden skis which you 
wear with regular boots) are fine for getting used to the idea but they 
cannot learn to ski on them.

In the beginning they learn to walk on skis (like a duck), slide sideways down 
a very gentle slope, make snowplow turns, walk up a hill sideways.  They are
taught to ski with their hands on their knees for greater control.  The main
thing is teaching them to stop rather than to go :-).  It also helps if you
can learn to ski backwards bending over holding the tips of their skis
together.

Most of the babies (anything from 16 months and over) that I have seen skiing
have parents who are ski teachers or are local residents of the resort.  For
them, putting on skis is like putting on snow boots.

The big advantage in sending my children to a ski school was not so much the
technique they learned as the discipline.  Ski monitors are much better at
instilling the "rules of the road" then we parents are.

I say go for it but don't push it.  If you both love to ski, so will your 
children because you will be motivated for them to learn.

Cheryl

    We started David skiing the winter he was 4 years old.  We would put
    him in ski school in the AM and then have lunch and ski with him in the
    afternoon.  I agree that ski school is important as well as good
    equipment.
    
    Kathy
    

    Last year when Alyssa just turned three, she told us she wanted skis
    for Christmas.  My husband (the skier in the family) wanted to go out
    and buy her the real expensive stuff.  I told him not to because Alyssa
    says she loves something and will only play or do it once and then she
    says she hates it.  So I convinced him into just buying those little
    plastic skis.  If she liked going down the hill in our backyard, then I
    would go out and buy her the expensive stuff.  So the first snow fell,
    she got her skis, put them on and went out in the backyard.  She did
    o.k. until her 4th time down the hill and crashed into a snowbank. 
    Then she hated it and didn't want to do it again.  
    
    I would let your child "try it out" first before you spend all kinds of
    money.  What children like to watch and what children like to do is two
    totally different things.
    
    

You do not need to buy the equipment for your child to be properly equipped.
You can rent it or buy it at used ski sales.

It was only when the kids were about 4 (well ok, we're avid skiers) that we 
invested in kids equipment and then it always went through two children.  Also
the price for kids' stuff is much less than for adult size equipment.  We
could buy reasonable stuff until the kids went into adult sizes for around
$50.- at the time.  I typically sell the old boots for SF10 to 15 a pair and
the skis at around SF30.-  for the little sizes.  That's about $7 to $10 for
boots and $20 for skis.  IF you have only one child, it works out cheaper to
rent.  2 kids going through the equipment is the break even point.

Cheryl

    Thanks for your replies.  I did not intend to buy Jackie skis until
    much later in life, just in case she doesn't like it.  I just really
    want to introduce her to skiing at a young age.  As mentioned in my
    base note, I learned to ski 3 years ago.  One of the reasons I never
    learned earlier is that I was scared to death.  I feel if Jackie is
    introduced to something at an early age, she'll be able to base her
    fears (if any) on real experience (although 2 years is still young to
    "know" what you really like or dislike).  I figured if she took
    lessons, we would rent her skis.  If we introduced her to skiing on our
    own, I'll buy the kind that can attach to boots.  It seems from your
    comments that those work pretty well for young children and as they
    grow and mature, and get better at skiing, then an investment in some
    decent (new or used) skis would be a good idea.
    
    Mary
    

Saw something on the Olympics this morning about a family who spends a good
part of their life on skis.  Dad is apparently a coach for ski dancing,
or some such.

The program showed their 3 year old daughter skiing.  She was amazing!
I think she probably skis better than I do (which is not saying much, 
I admit).  :-)
       Carol

    Hi
    My daughter is 2 years and 2 months and has been skiing since december.
    She has her own skiis, Team Mickey (K2's), she goes when our baby sitter
    takes her kids. I haven't seen her other than on video, I let the baby
    sitter take my camcorder. She doesn't do any lifts or ski down the
    slopes. They started pulling her around the first few times and now she
    goes without help down a small incline, she can go about 30-40' before
    gravity takes over. She has been to 7 different ski areas this year
    already, I have the baby sitter but her a pin for her ski jacket at
    every place they go, she looks so cool with all those pins on her
    jacket. We plan on putting her in for lessons next year. Now for mom
    and dad to take a few lessons :^), I have only skied 3 times in my life
    and my wife has never been on skiis. I loved skiing, the few times I
    went and found learning to ski pretty easy, Just the dam cost! Lift
    tickets are $35 a day and someplaces like Killington are $39. Makes a
    pretty expensive family outing!
      She loves skiing and gets all excited when she goes, she has some
    Austrian blood in her some where along the line. Also, she has been
    taking gymnastics for a few months now too, she loves gymnastics and it
    is amazing how well she and other toddlers do. I guess that could be
    another topic!
    
                                              Jeff