Skiing. Something I always wanted to do — tried once many moons ago at a local (tiny) hill here in suburban Chicago when I was 16 — quite unsuccessfully as I didn’t learn to stop & ran into a bright orange fence. Was a bit intimidated by it after that, but flash forward to age 40 and I was back on the slopes — having properly learned to stop this time around — and oh, how I’m kicking myself that I hadn’t tried again sooner!
I’ve never been much of a sportsperson. I don’t have an overly competitive personality, summer sports are off the table since I turn into a lobster after 10 minutes (even lathered in sunscreen) and, well, to be honest…I kind of hate to sweat.
Winter sports, though…the perfect match-up for me! You’re outside, the snow landscapes are pretty, you’re wearing layers, it’s nice and cold — and even though some sweating can occur, it’s a totally different ballgame when you have that awesome chill factor to cool you down.
This was the fourth year in a row that we’ve been skiing with our daughter. She’s seven now, and with how much she loves it and how gutsy she is on the slopes, she’ll soon hit runs that I’m not quite ready for myself, though I’ll definitely try my best to keep up with her growing skills.
We put her in ski lessons when she was three (same hill I attempted in 1988 at age 16…and yes, the dreaded orange fence is still there and I’m certain it was mocking me as I walked by). Four Sundays in a row we watched her learn how to “pizza” and “french-fry” — new terms for us as we were still using the antiquated term, “snowplough.” The lessons gave her a great foundation for our first time at a larger hill – this time up in Wisconsin. Mr. The Inspired Parent is an excellent skier so he gave me a crash course in stopping and I mastered the bunny slopes for a bit before we all hit the bigger runs. So much fun! I finally found my sport!
Ever since that day four years ago, I’ve been looking forward to winter even more than normal because it’s SKI TIME!!! I’m planning to review some of the places we’ve skied in future posts, but for now I’ll give you our list of reasons you should totally hit the slopes with your kids. Even if you’ve never gone before — you won’t regret it! There’s still plenty of time for some wonderful spring skiing and you can find some great deals in Colorado and other prime ski areas this time of year!
10. Skiing is a great skill they can carry into adulthood. Definitely get the first-timers in a group or private lesson the first time out — it makes all the difference — but those lessons can start quite early. It’s very common to see three-year-olds out there on the slopes and those little kids sure pick it up quickly. How cool is it that your now-3-year-old can possibly still enjoy skiing when they’re 70 or older?
9. Skiing promotes fun, family bonding. Whether it’s helping the little ones on their first beginner hills or having some one-on-one ski lift chats with your surly teenagers, or enjoying the atmosphere of hanging out at the ski lodge after a day on the slopes, it is such a wonderful experience for everyone! Make those memories!
8. Skiing is great for (almost) all ages & levels. There are almost no limitations when it comes to skiing — practically anyone of any age can do it & there are even plenty of Adaptive Alpine Skiing options for those with disabilities. Throw in the fact that such a wide-range of ages can enjoy this sport and it’s a win-win for family fun!
7. Skiing is a wonderful outing for family/friend gatherings. Looking for your next extended-family reunion? Look into a ski trip! Popular resort areas typically have condominiums for rent which are perfect for larger groups — more space to spread out after a day on the slopes compared with a basic hotel room. Another option is renting a house near the ski area of your choice. Splitting the rental costs with another family or two is a great way to save on lodging and have a spacious place to hang out during your trip. Add in all the ski excitement that everyone will have & what a FUN vacation! For the non-skiers in your group — most ski resorts & ski towns have plenty of cool things to do even if you’re not hitting the slopes. A little bit of something for everyone!
6. Skiing is great for core strength & balance & your mental health. Skiing is a full-body workout – with regular skiing you will most definitely increase your core strength and balance. For kids (and adults) this added strength is great for all sorts of other sports they may enjoy. Add in the fact that it’s a winter sport, it keeps everyone active at a time of year when many people are sedentary. Another plus is that skiing is great for your mental well-being on several different levels. The combination of fresh, outdoor air + the mental stimulation of handling the balance and coordination required by skiing and there are a lot of benefits. Check out this wonderful article from The University of New Hampshire regarding The Benefits of Skiing.
5. Ski slopes are pretty. Everyone’s taste is different when it comes to natural beauty, but ski areas are generally quite beautiful…the trees, fluffy white snow on gorgeous mountains…breathtaking! Our daughter adores going on the ski lifts since she can “see everything that is beautiful and it’s so relaxing.” Enough said.
4. Skiing is a family tradition that can be passed on through the generations. My father-in-law was a skier. He passed in 2004, four years before our daughter was born. We see a lot of him in her — their interests and personalities are similar in so many ways, even though she never met him in person. Skiing was something he adored and we know he would be thrilled that we’re passing on this love of hitting the slopes so she can carry on that tradition. We’ll do our best to go at least once a year (hopefully more) every year with her…she took to skiing so easily and loves it. We’re sure that his DNA ski-gene is at play. 😉
3. Ski (& snowboard) kids are nice! We’ve encountered a ton of kids on the slopes over these last several years. There’s something about the kids who ski & snowboard — they all seem really, really nice. I’m sure there are exceptions, but as cheesy as it sounds, it’s honestly what we’ve noticed & commented on every single time we’ve gone skiing. There’s a level of respect that seems to go hand-in-hand with the sport. Even the groups of tweens & teens who are hanging out together (without their parents) on the slopes have been a joy to be around & I love that our daughter looks up to these bigger, polite, respectful kids. It makes skiing that much more enjoyable.
2. Skiing is a major confidence booster. Our daughter was a very hesitant toddler – didn’t want to climb on things or go on the bigger slides or try anything she felt was “scary.” We put her in gymnastics/tumbling when she was three to help her get over her fears (we were starting to worry that she’d get hurt on the playground playing with the bigger kids since she was so hesitant about every little thing). That helped her a bit, but WOW did skiing make all the difference. Our hesitant little kid, for whatever reason, is not hesitant at all when it comes to skiing. The faster and steeper the hill, the more she shouts “woo-hoooooo!!!!!!!!!” Seeing her try something challenging and the confidence she gets from it is amazing. She is so proud after we’ve been skiing – she even keeps her lift ticket attached to her coat for a while after each ski outing so when people ask about it, she can tell them all about her latest ski adventures. I love that after four seasons of skiing, it still has this noticeable confidence-boosting affect on her.
1. Witnessing their sheer glee and joy and hearing “woo-hoooo!!!!” when they throw their arms in the air at the bottom of a stellar ski run…priceless!
