This is a weird post, but I'm interested in your opinions!
We live in a state where skiing is very popular. I did not grow up here and never learned to ski. Same with my husband. And we have zero interest in learning now. We feel it is expensive, crowded, kinda risky, and a traffic nightmare to get to the ski areas from where we live. But we do think it's totally cool and respect everyone who skis/boards.
My sister and her husband are skiers. Last year they got my son (age 9 now) a one-day ski lesson. He did it and loved it. I paid for him to do an additional one-day lesson the next month. He is asking if he can ski again this season.
I'm trying to figure out what is best. The reality is, he would never be able to go with me/DH because we don't ski. He could go with my sister a few times a year, maybe 2 or 3 times (due to distance - they live 6 hours from us). And I'm willing to pay for a few more lessons where he would be with a group.
My question is: is it worth it for us to pursue skiing for him if he will only go a few times a year? If he doesn't live in a "ski family?" Can a kid become proficient at skiing going only a few times a year? I really have no idea.
Part of me feels like it's a waste of time/money now and if he really wants to, he can pursue it when he's older on his own. He's in a lot of other sports also. But part of me also feels like it's part of the culture here, an opportunity not everyone has, and he likes it and is athletic so we should pursue it in some way. I also have 2 younger kids who will probably be interested at some point.
My H is pretty proficient at skiing even though he's lived in Texas all his life and had only skied maybe 4 times a year max when he was growing up. Even now, going like 10 years between ski trips, he can still ski the black routes.
Almost anything athletic like this, I feel is best learned when one is younger. I learned to ski for the first time when I was 24 or 25 and never made it off the bunny slopes. (I did try to ski a green but fell hard halfway down and gave up, hiked the rest of the way down).
My H and I are considering a short ski trip this winter (we live about 4 hours away from the closest ski resort) and paying for lessons for E1.
Post by lostlenore on Nov 27, 2019 14:18:28 GMT -5
Does the middle school he will be going to have a ski club? Around here, ski club starts in either 5th or 6th grade. They go once a week while the weather is good for it. The fees included ski rentals, but they can use their own if they have and want to.
I don’t ski either, but DH does and he’s taken my older kids a few times. I’m glad they’re learning now. I wish I knew how, but now feel like I’m too old to learn (and too scared I’ll hurt myself!).
Post by sillygoosegirl on Nov 27, 2019 14:20:47 GMT -5
I don't recall ever going more than a few times per year, and still felt like I mastered it in my teens. Granted, I never did the hardest slopes, but I think lots of people never do. That said, I haven't chosen to ski more than a handful of times as an adult... better things to spend my money and take risks on...
One of my best friends did ski team in high school. I imagine that was expensive, but she got to take the bus with her friends up there skiing every week, so it's not like her parents had to take her up. She really liked it, and staying in shape for skiing was her motivation for doing track other times of year. So if you have the money for it and your kid really loves it...
FWIW, this is from the midwest. People ski, but it's not like we have mountains and it's a huge thing where people are skiing all the time. I just went a few times with my cousins in middle school and learned to ski. At least that way, I felt proficient enough to go a few teen ski bus trip days and didn't have to stay on the bunny hill. Sometimes I think it's just good to get beyond beginner stage, and I don't think you need to ski super regularly at all to do that.
However, seems like your kid is interested in more? I guess if he is really into it, I would pursue it for him, time/money permitting. DH skied a lot in high school and was able to do some cool things with friends even though his family didn't go along.
I kind of get this, b/c we are doing ski lessons for the kids this winter (just a set of four). DH really wants them to learn. I want them to get past that beginner stage, but I'm kind of with you on not really knowing if this is something I see us doing as a family, and it's expensive, and somewhat dangerous, and you need expensive gear....so why? But at least we'll do this early stage so they can get their feet wet with it.
I say go for it if you can afford it and think he would enjoy it. If he goes even 2-3 times a year that could be worth it.
Once he gets older, he'll have probably opportunities to go with friends and their families. So you don't have to worry about being a ski family.
I'm a decent skier and can do the easier black diamonds and I've only gone maybe like 10 times in the last 20 years. So I do think it's something you can pick up fairly easily with the right lessons.
My H is pretty proficient at skiing even though he's lived in Texas all his life and had only skied maybe 4 times a year max when he was growing up. Even now, going like 10 years between ski trips, he can still ski the black routes.
Almost anything athletic like this, I feel is best learned when one is younger. I learned to ski for the first time when I was 24 or 25 and never made it off the bunny slopes. (I did try to ski a green but fell hard halfway down and gave up, hiked the rest of the way down).
My H and I are considering a short ski trip this winter (we live about 4 hours away from the closest ski resort) and paying for lessons for E1.
Yes! I agree - this is another reason I feel like we should pursue skiing for him, even though I don't really want to. Like you said, I do believe some things like this are best learned from a young age and I don't want to put him at a "disadvantage" I guess.
Does the middle school he will be going to have a ski club? Around here, ski club starts in either 5th or 6th grade. They go once a week while the weather is good for it. The fees included ski rentals, but they can use their own if they have and want to.
I don’t ski either, but DH does and he’s taken my older kids a few times. I’m glad they’re learning now. I wish I knew how, but now feel like I’m too old to learn (and too scared I’ll hurt myself!).
That's a good point, I believe they do have a ski day once a semester. We live too far for a ski club (2-4 hours depending on traffic).
I feel the exact same as you about learning to ski myself now.
Post by InBetweenDays on Nov 27, 2019 14:30:19 GMT -5
Well I probably have a biased view because we're a pretty big ski family. Go 25+ days per year and are currently driving to Whistler for the weekend. But if you think it's something he'll want to do when he's older then I do think there is a benefit to learning at a young age. You don't need to become proficient at a young age, but just to feel comfortable on the slopes, with the gear, etc.
So if he's expressing interest now I'd try to find a way to get him up a few times a season. Especially if, as a previous poster asked, your school system had a ski bus in middle or high school. (Although our kids are big skiers and my daughter is not at all interested in her school ski bus).
I grew up in southern new england. So it's a couple of hours' drive to real mountain skiing. My parents skied when they were young, but not after having my brother and I. Nonetheless, we took ski lessons as kids. Like, every friday night for two seasons in a row, at a small local place. I think I was about 10-11 and my brother was about 14-15 when we took lessons, and we both just feel in love with the sport. Then my parents NEVER took us mountain skiing, but would bring us to that same small local place and let us take off on our own while they hung out in the lodge.
Since my brother was was older (and "responsible" lol), our parents would let us go on bus trips to the mountains together with friends, starting when I was in middle school, and would let us go away skiing with friends' families. By high school, I probably skied 10-15 days/year, more in college. My husband has skied about 4 times in his life, and since breaking his ankle 5 years ago, probably never will again. I ski once or twice a winter now, if I'm lucky. But I'd still consider lessons for my kids if they express an interest as they grow up (currently 8 and 5).
How far is it to ski for you guys? Would you let him go on his own or with friends while you stayed in the lodge? Would you be willing to pay his way to go on ski trips with friends until he's old enough to pay for himself? Do the schools your son will go to have ski teams? Given that you live in a place where it's part of the culture, I don't think it's a waste if he's into it, because there will probably be lots of opportunities for him to ski as he grows up. Southern New england is not that culture, but I still managed to ski quite a bit growing up with non-skiing parents. But it sure is expensive, so I can completely understand your hesitation.
Post by pierogigirl on Nov 27, 2019 14:31:27 GMT -5
DH and I don't ski, but the kids take snowboarding lessons. The are about 10 weeks long and this is the second year they are doing them. My brother lives in the mountains and one my nieces is probably a future Olympian - she is a pretty serious racer. I imagine when they are older, my kids will snowboard there, but if not, they like the lessons now.
Post by jeaniebueller on Nov 27, 2019 15:01:57 GMT -5
Is there any kind of kid's ski club at the local resorts? We have a few ski resorts around here and they do a kid's ski/snowboard club that includes a short lesson and ski time once a week for a few hours. And there are often deals on season passes for kids if they show their report card, etc. If he is comfortable using the tow rope or chair lift on his own, you don't necessarily need to be right with him at that age IMO. I think that if he is interested now, that its a great time for him to learn while he is young so I would keep him in lessons.
I am in the Midwest. Skiing is crappy garbage hills. Beginner hills are mostly tow rope compared to magic carpet. Tow rope kind of sucks.
We paid for ski lessons 4 sessions one year. 1-2 sessions the following year. 1 lesson was cancelled because it was 70 in February which almost never happens. 1 session it was 50 and melting. 1 session it was ice and 1 session it was that annoying wet cold snow where everything is drenched.
I concluded to not try around here anymore. A better ski area, maybe. Most kids are never on skis so any experience or lesson is beneficial. I cross countried but didn’t downhill until an adult. I forget it and have to take a lesson each year to remember again. Once I do that I am able to do the hills 1-2 levels above bunny but that’s about it.
I am all about exposing kids to thing so they are well rounded. I don’t think that will make them any kind of expert and if they want to do more should be on their own initiative in a setting where they can manage it in their own. Like I’ll never be the parent with a kid tow rope. They needed to be in a class because I can’t manage them in the hill.
DH wants to do a lot more downhill. I prefer going somewhere warm in the winter not really a ski trip. I do want to take them cross country this winter just to try it.
so I live in a ski area (and am in a ski family now) and it is literally part of the curriculum here. Are there no ski programs that your son could be involved in?
I can tell you that I grew up skiing just through the ski program at school and my parents were NOT skiers. I stopped skiing for awhile in HS when they said they could not afford it, but in college and now as an adult, skiing is a really fun activity and I am so glad I have the base of it. My H on the other hand grew up skiing as well, also not really part of a big ski family, and loved it so much he went to school for ski resort management. We moved to CA for him to be a typical 20-something ski bum. He manages ski areas now and it is 100% our life. IF hie parents didn't let him try it out a few times as a kid, things would be really different for us now!
All that to say, in my opinion it is worth it! As he gets older his friends will be skiing, and at the very least he will have some base knowledge so he can pick it up and go with them for a fun day on the slopes
I think its worth it as its a sport you can do into adulthood and even if its only sporadic now it will build those skills. I don't ski but DH and I both snowboard. We went a ton in college and early 20s but don't go often now just due to life. We are bringing the kids to Vail next winter though for a family trip and plan on putting both girls into ski school so that they can learn while we go boarding. They won't go more than 1-2x a year after that since we live a few hours from any good mountains but I think its a fun thing for kids to learn!
I learned as an adult, and it sucked! I LOVE skiing, and I'm glad I learned. We only go 3 times a year now and my son builds on his skills every year. I think it's definitely worth it. 2 of my sisters weren't skiers, and I took their kids when we skied.
I loved skiing as a kid even though I don’t really do it anymore. I think it’s a great sport, even if you never compete. If we lived anywhere near hills now I’d take my kids for lessons or a ski club and go drink/read a book in the lodge by myself.
My husband grew up having a weekend home in the Poconos so he grew up skiing most weekends. I am...from Florida. As are my parents. So skiing was never on my radar. He has both bought me private and group lessons and tried to teach me himself. I'm a non-starter.
Anyway, he loves it and is a good skier. It was very important to him that our kids learn, so much that we basically take only one vacation...and it's to ski :/ Not my favorite because I'm not a cold weather person and it is EXTREMELY expensive for us to make this happen. But although I don't personally love it, I love that they are learning and will have this exposure since I didn't. It's a fun "healthy" outdoor activity. When I see them, I wish I could do it too!!! I'm sure with a ton of private help, to the tune of about $1k they could probably get me on the bunny slope, but since we have a limited income, I prefer to spend that on doing other things with the kids.
Anyway, all that to say that my Florida kids (aged 7 and 9 the last time we skied), even going just one time per year for like 3-4 days of skiing, can make it down the mountain on Colorado/Utah blues and greens. They both do ski school sporadically, depending on how expensive ski school is. They absolutely love it.
I loved skiing as a kid even though I don’t really do it anymore. I think it’s a great sport, even if you never compete. If we lived anywhere near hills now I’d take my kids for lessons or a ski club and go drink/read a book in the lodge by myself.
I was going to say this too. If we lived close enough to drive I would happily pay for ski school and take the kids there and go shop or whatever alone!
DD loves to swim so we signed her up for a year round swim team at a cost of $1,200 and committed to take her to practice 3 times a week. I hate to swim! But, the pool is 10 minutes away. We drop off or carpool. And it’s only $100 a month - which nearly any sport would cost. I understand paying for and encouraging activities a parent dislikes or doesn’t understand, but skiing seems very expensive and very inconvenient. If he’s really into it maybe consider your max cost and time investment and see what he thinks of that.
If it is something he really likes, it would be nice if it worked out so he could go once or twice a year now and then have a foundation for when he is older to keep pursuing it himself. I did not learn until high school but H always skied a lot and now we take our 3 kids often even though most days are not at very challenging mountains. We take 1 or 2 trips a year with another family and the wife is not a skier so sometimes she snowshoes, sometimes she cross country skis and some days she hangs out at the resort. Those activities give her time outside and also a workout different then what she does the rest of the year. Would you ever spend a weekend with your sister and consider snowshoeing while your son takes a lesson?
Post by aprilsails on Nov 27, 2019 17:38:39 GMT -5
If there’s an opportunity to introduce my kids and get them lessons I will if they are interested. All high schools in my area do once a year ski days as well as ski clubs. I’m about 50 minutes away from very decent ski hills.
I learned through the program at my high school. It was enough for me, but I also started cross country skiing very young, so I had some background there. I haven’t been in years, but I know I would be comfortable. I still cross country ski.
My kids will all take swimming and skating lessons. I think they are required skills as Canadians!
If there’s an opportunity to introduce my kids and get them lessons I will if they are interested. All high schools in my area do once a year ski days as well as ski clubs. I’m about 50 minutes away from very decent ski hills.
I learned through the program at my high school. It was enough for me, but I also started cross country skiing very young, so I had some background there. I haven’t been in years, but I know I would be comfortable. I still cross country ski.
My kids will all take swimming and skating lessons. I think they are required skills as Canadians!
I can't skate! 🇨🇦😬😂
I did grow up with access to the best mountains though, so am a pretty good skier.
Post by lolalolalola on Nov 27, 2019 20:29:17 GMT -5
We are also a skiing family and go 20+ times a year. However, we have plenty of friends who go with their kids a couple times a year. The kids know how to ski and can hold their own year after year.
If there’s an opportunity to introduce my kids and get them lessons I will if they are interested. All high schools in my area do once a year ski days as well as ski clubs. I’m about 50 minutes away from very decent ski hills.
I learned through the program at my high school. It was enough for me, but I also started cross country skiing very young, so I had some background there. I haven’t been in years, but I know I would be comfortable. I still cross country ski.
My kids will all take swimming and skating lessons. I think they are required skills as Canadians!
I can't skate! 🇨🇦😬😂
I did grow up with access to the best mountains though, so am a pretty good skier.
When you grow up with access to the worlds longest outdoor skating rink you had better learn to skate! Actually it’s just very much a part of my family culture and so I think it’s important. I also think it’s important to have sports and activities that you enjoy doing in the winter since winter lasts a pretty long time around here.
Post by imojoebunny on Nov 27, 2019 22:27:36 GMT -5
I don't think this is any different from any other sport/extra curricular opportunity parents bend over backward for. You sound like this isn't something that you want to bend over for, so I would skip it, and look for other ways your kid can do activities you want to be part of, be they sports closer to home, or activities you do as a family.