Ongoing Kid Stoke [2011 and on...]

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Originally Posted by Danno

man, I was pretty pumped that my 5 year old was shredding blues and mellow trees. Apparently, she's got a long a way to go!

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The progression from ages 5 to about 8 is nuts. It also, in my opinion, helps to have other people (who actually know what they're doing) teach your children. I'm a decent skier, but I'm pretty useless as a coach beyond telling my 6-year old to "french fry" more and "pizza" less. Anyhow, it's pretty cool when your kids reach the point when they become actual ski partners. (Of course, I'm worried about the day when I'll be too slow for them. E.g., I'd be afraid to follow offpiste's kid around.)

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Originally Posted by AKbruin

The progression from ages 5 to about 8 is nuts. It also, in my opinion, helps to have other people (who actually know what they're doing) teach your children. I'm a decent skier, but I'm pretty useless as a coach beyond telling my 6-year old to "french fry" more and "pizza" less. Anyhow, it's pretty cool when your kids reach the point when they become actual ski partners. (Of course, I'm worried about the day when I'll be too slow for them. E.g., I'd be afraid to follow offpiste's kid around.)

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Totally agree with you on the above in bold. I'm the same way. I'm a huge believer in professional (appropriate) instruction. Then racing to hone the technical skills. Then they'll be able to do any kind of skiing they want.

All 3 of my sons (15, 17 and 21) can ski circles around most people including me (not that that takes much doing!). I love it when they say, "hey dad, wanna spin a couple laps?". No way I can keep up but it's fun to watch them play on the snow and do all that stuff and they wait for me.

We provide our kids with the opportunity to love skiing and often when it happens they surpass us, but that's what we do it for right? There's nothing that gives me greater pleasure than to see how good they are at it, and how much they love it. My absolute favorite thing to do in my life is to watch those boys ski as they disappear down the hill in a contrail of snow.

So much good stoke in this thread. So great to see all those groms ripping it up. I hope all you dads and moms are as lucky as I have been to have all 3 of them take to it so strongly.

3 of our race team boys won their respective age groups in Far West's Central Series this season.

Young Owen 1st U10
Attachment 179524

Iain 1st U12
Attachment 179525

Evan 1st U14
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Originally Posted by AKbruin

The progression from ages 5 to about 8 is nuts. It also, in my opinion, helps to have other people (who actually know what they're doing) teach your children. I'm a decent skier, but I'm pretty useless as a coach beyond telling my 6-year old to "french fry" more and "pizza" less. Anyhow, it's pretty cool when your kids reach the point when they become actual ski partners. (Of course, I'm worried about the day when I'll be too slow for them. E.g., I'd be afraid to follow offpiste's kid around.)

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We have her in lessons, off and on. She's had 5 days of lessons so far this year, one still to come. As many as we can afford, we'll put her in!

It's funny, I expected huge leaps from her this year, and for most of the year, she wasn't skiing anything harder than last year. Then, all of a sudden, boom! She was skiing blues and ripping through the tree trails on the sides of runs. Crazy.

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Originally Posted by Danno

We have her in lessons, off and on. She's had 5 days of lessons so far this year, one still to come. As many as we can afford, we'll put her in!

It's funny, I expected huge leaps from her this year, and for most of the year, she wasn't skiing anything harder than last year. Then, all of a sudden, boom! She was skiing blues and ripping through the tree trails on the sides of runs. Crazy.

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Logan did a Form your own team with 5 friends who are similar level skiers. 6 all day lessons they the season. He also had 6 lessons thru hi school. That and a bunch of days with us and he's about 30 days for the year. What a great job those instructors do. He can do groomed blacks now and non groomed blues. So much fun to rip around with him, though he loves the trees. I can't wait to see how he continues to improve.

Sweet suit, bobby

Attachment 179626

Oops, fouled up the attachment, Her is the story, the photo is our 7 year old granddaughter, 7 last week at Alta, She was pic of the day last Saturday, rippin it in Catherine's with pow left from last weeks storm. Catherine's is a boot pack which she loves to do.

yup^^^^

Attachment 179660

First time our the high traverse for the 5 and 6 year olds yesterday. Skied great down stonecrusher then on to high rustler. Despite the kind of heavy conditions for their little legs they did great!

That is awesome. My almost 5 is ripping suddenly. He has had a few seasons and started to actually ski (as turn and in control and with a plan) last spring. Started this season on a bunny lift in December. I had to talk him into letting me remove the reigns. On Tuesday we were skiing off chair 6 at KW. The pitch from the top is most certainly black diamond. On his second run, he headed off piste into the spring powder crust and did great.

He did well in mid winter powder at lower angles earlier this winter. The spring pow we had on Tuesday was a bit tough. Although if I had him on the 118 Gots instead of 108 PEs, that might have made the difference. Seeing that he is about 103cm tall, even the PE seem big on the lot. Not so much on his feet.

Anyway, long ramble, but what a blast it is to see your kiddo advance so much.

For reference, we bought a ten pack of lessons. He gets schooled in school. He always gets reports like this : great skier, but takes too long on the shitter, and he does not like to wait for the group. Sounds like his dad. [emoji6]

Whe we ski together, I try to make it just about having fun. Hot cider ( mine gets a nip of whiskey) and jelly bellies. Hard skills, like how to build a bench out of your skis for snack time. And safety instruction, such as looking up hill before merging.

All good stuff there Chad.

Here is some more unsolicited advice from a ski patrol dad.

Safety instruction is really important. Talk to them about what to do if they or you get lost or hurt. Introduce them to ski patrol. Make sure they know where to go and what to do to get help. Make a plan in case you get split up. You wouldn't believe how many "lost" kids we deal with that simply got away from Mom and Dad.

And a lot of parents I see are not very involved with their kids' ski lessons. It's cool to just let them go and learn from the pros while you rip pow, but you should tag along now and then. Learn what they're being taught. Ask instructors for a couple of key things you should be working on so you are consistent. You don't want to be teaching them bad habits.

I do it with ski racing. I tag along and watch and listen to the coaches, and I ask them what I can help my son with. This season's message has been all about getting closer to the gates, skiing a tighter line and skiing a bit more aggressively. I leave to technical stuff to the coaches, but I'm sharing a consistent message to help him (and the coaches) out.

And most importantly, have fun. Skiing with your kids should be fun for everyone. I see a lot of learning kids and teaching parents battling it out on the slopes and that's no fun for anyone.

SKI THE BABIES!

^^^great advice. My guy loves school, so tagging along would work. They discourage it a bit at KW, mostly because a lot of kids seem to want to leave with their parents. Would not be an issue for mine. Consistent messaging sounds like a good idea.

He likes to dance while he skis, so his instructor said that he needed to work on a quite upper body. He has the ski to stay quite, but he loves to clap, and literally swings his arms around as if dancing.

I gave him poles the next day. First run was crazy with poles everywhere. Not sure if it was his dance, or him trying to copy others pole plants. We talked about it. He wanted to keep the poles. I showed him how I wanted to hold them with the grip in front and the tips behind. He is not pole planting, and his hands are a little low, but now he has a nice tight stance (most of the time) and a quite upper body. His hands and poles only move when he has lost his balance, then they all come back right to the body.

I do get reports at pick up, but some instructors are better at this than others. During his last lesson he called a hello down from the lift. I decided to follow him up, to lurk, but I lost the group. A bit too far behind.

We've been talking about Patrol. What they do, and how they can help. Next time out, we will stop and say hello. We also discuss what lift we are going to next on every run. But I like the idea of an indoor meeting place if separated on a cold day. What is great is he really knows his way around the mountain. Has a great sense of direction. Better than many other adults who ski the hill on a regular bases. He is even starting to get a sense of aspect, which is awesome.

I started to realize this season there is a hell of a lot more to skiing than skills.

OTOH, I let him ski down the stairs at the end of a powder day. Perhaps not the safest thing to teach, but listened and performed well. The other day he asked if he was old enough for the boxes. So now I'm getting bit nervous. Hard man made things scare, but I guess I made this bed.

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Originally Posted by bigdude2468

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$$$

^^^ love that one.

We started Allison at 2 after doing the back pack thing when she was pre walking. Our son, wife and Allison live in WI, we live in SLC all winter so Allison gets multiple trips out her during the winter. Today is her last day, been on spring break since last Friday. Her mom and dad both raced in college so the "skiing life" has been a part of what she has experienced since birth. She seldom complains about being cold which I think is due to her being exposed to cold weather all winter living in WI. One tip, after the kids start to get the hang of it be sure you have them on good skis. Many kids skis are just plain crap, foam core made to sell cheap. We happen to love Moment skis and their kids skis are just shorter, narrower versions of their adult skis, full wood cores. Don't worry about how much you spend on kids skis, the resale value at ski swaps is at least 50% of what you paid even after two or three seasons. Kids learn and take instruction at different rates. You will figure out how to manage their fears and insecurities. We are lucky, she always wants to ski something she has not skied before and being at Alta she thinks hiking is a blast. Hiking into the Castle is great fun and the High T around into Greeley / Eagles Nest is just an adventure for her.

As Grandparents we cherish every minute we spend with her on the mountain, nothing else quite matches the experience. Yesterday we were riding the lift and out of nowhere she leaned over to my wife, (Mom Mom is what she calls her) and say "Mom Mom I love you", how great is that?

The I love yous are the best. I got one half way down, the first time we skied off the top. Which is likely the opposite of what he was thinking as he peered in from the ridge.

http://youtu.be/tEuaMqum73E

http://youtu.be/t6Jk5dRpzio

A couple of recent ones of my lil dude. He loves it and never wants to stop! It's awesome!

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New ski stoke!

He won the pond skim on them.

And he found the gnome.

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Every time I think I'm moving him up to a ski that's too big he proves me wrong. Those are 147. Mama rolls 153.

I think we will be able to roll north to visit in May/June.

Summer Solstice Owen's birthday party here June 18. We got the Hardly Deadly band booked.

All are welcome .

https://youtu.be/dgmLr1HzFJk

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Originally Posted by montanaskier

http://youtu.be/tEuaMqum73E

http://youtu.be/t6Jk5dRpzio

A couple of recent ones of my lil dude. He loves it and never wants to stop! It's awesome!

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I watched the park one on FB, Logan rips!

Maybe we can all go skiing together at Drinko this year.

Awesome!
Would be down for a spring/summer PNW kids summit. I'm not sure at this point how my daughter is going to take the fact that snow melts and skiing stops.
This past weekend at Whistler we put the 3.5 year old mini-magette in ski school on Saturday. She was marked as a 1* level. When we picked her up she was now a 2* and had to transfer groups since her original one was not advanced enough. She even skied down to the village from the gondola mid-station (a green/easy blue run but is over a mile and drops almost 2000 vert). On Sunday we just skied with her on Olympic chair and then did the gondola run twice more. There were some slushy moguls at one section which scared her so I had to carry her over that section. At the end of the day I was like "damm!, I just skied like 5000 vert in a day with my 3.5 year old!" At one point on the gondola run I was skiing ahead of her so she could follow me and she was feeling the flow and started singing songs from her pre-school really loudly. I am making turns and behind me there is this little girl skiing and singing "SLIPPERY FISH, SLIPPERY FISH, SWIMMING THROUGH THE WATER..." at the top of her lungs.

Mine loves to sing and ski as well. What is up with that? Too much fun.

We have two one window days left before KW closes which is a bummer as we both want to keep skiing together.

Our last day we fell 300' short of 10k. Has I known, we would have taken one more lift to hit that mile stone. Guess we have work to do next time out.

Attachment 180070

This is probably my favorite picture of our seven year old Grandaughter, hiking into Catherines at Alta with her Bop Bop.

Edit for the grand parents. My son was super stoked to try poles for the first time and ride chair 6 for the first time on the same day.

I'm super stoked he is so much fun to ski all over the mountain with.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWLcu3UPbk8

^^^so fun!

Vid doesn't work for me...

Good stuff, Ottime. I might get a KW pass next year just so I can take the kids there.

love this thread

Opening day at Fenway. Top of 9th 3 run jack puts the sox down so the seats behind the plate opened up and our 13 yo and his 2 friends went to the screen. Our guy is standing in grey.

Papi hit into a double play and the wind was out of the rally.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/2016...8ad26e39c0.jpg

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Originally Posted by Ottime

Yeah. And now I ask for some advice. He does have parallel skills, except on the steepest terrain, but prefers resort to pizza. His instructor said that is likely because he is so much better at the wedge right now, and he was not too worried about it. In fact, he suggested that once on steeper terrain he would see the advantage of a parallel turn and make the switch. Instead he just perfected the pizza.

So I am trying to figure out how to get him to ski parallel more without me always skiing next him him saying "try parallel" and being ignored anyway. I want our time together to be fun, but I also want him working on new skills.

Do I just let it go and have fun? Or is there something that has worked for ya'll at this stage? For reference, he will be 5 in May.

AKB - that would be cool. I think the last time that Soul Searcher went you had a pass there. So returning might be good for the big lines as well. One of the things that is really fun about skiing there with the kiddo is he knows his way around the hill. I actually set him up with a intermediate friend. She chaperoned, and he guided. They had a great morning.

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You probably don't want to hear it, but dial back the terrain. If he's linking parallel turns on mellower stuff, give him lots of mileage on it until those movements begin to feel more natural to him. Steeper terrain will come. Though I'm sure it feels like you've been waiting forever to get onto steeper stuff, the little guy isn't in kindergarten yet and can't have been skiing on his own for more than a couple years. Consolidate the skills he has rather than push him onto steeper stuff.

Agreed... Take them where they rip and let them rip. Don't try too hard to get them in steeper terrain where they'll be skiing defensively and developing bad habits.

my son is about to be 5 and he's nowhere near that far along after 6 trips a year for 3 years but my only concern is that he is laughing, happy and/or peaceful 95% of the time and the rest of it he's learning to be patient and get through some of the parts of being on a snowy mountain that aren't always fun for little kids so that he can ski.

he's going to be my ski buddy as long as i can physically ride and the last thing i want to do is make him feel pressure or any negativity toward the activity. he's only 5. he's got his whole life to get better. i hope he loves it as much as i do but my main goal is that he grows up seeing skiing as accessible and an activity for people of all walks of life if they make a commitment and that he enjoys it and has the option to do it for the rest of his life to whatever degree if he wants to. and also that he and i are good friends and partners who can work effectively together to accomplish things and have fun. that's what i'm working toward.

the part i love best riding with my son so far? he sings all the time when he's skiing.

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Originally Posted by ~mikey b

Attachment 179122

Young Avery (age 5) photo slutting

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They can't all do this at 5. It takes a lot of questionable parenting...

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Originally Posted by Ottime

Edit for the grand parents. My son was super stoked to try poles for the first time and ride chair 6 for the first time on the same day.

I'm super stoked he is so much fun to ski all over the mountain with.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWLcu3UPbk8

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missed this will show the boy. he loves seeing all the kid stuff.

I wouldn't say we pushed the 5 and 6 year olds, skied a TON of days with them. Sometimes one run, sometimes a day.

What seemed to help them transition to parallel was the concept of roll by the ski. Just standing on a flat surface we played the rolls big game, just getting them to angulate. Then doing it on a mellow slope.

Steep terrain is intimidating and if you push it the "jake braking" habit will take years to break. Start introducing the steeper terrain only on the best days. Soft snow so they have something to push back against the ski to control speed.

And skittles. Lots of skittles.

That is one cute sprout!

Love the dog keeping an eye on her . . . oh, and the binky too!!!!

http://youtu.be/CluFhIktvhE