Natural Skiers

I'd been meaning to take the kids skiing all winter, but the thought was so daunting that we didn't get to it until 5 or 6 weeks ago on a beautiful Sunday when we went up to Brighton as a family to give it a try. It actually went well, so since then I've been taking the boys up any time our free days meet up with pleasant weather.

We've got a nice routine going. Luke takes lessons in the morning and afternoon, and Emmett usually skis with a friend, Eden, who lives near the resort. Henry naps in the carrier on my back and loves picking up ice from the ski school floor. He's made friends with some of the ski instructors and is universally proclaimed to be a cutie. Henry and I wander around the resort, taking the elevator and doing laps on the stairs. Emmett has been wearing a watch and is unbelievably reliable in meeting us at the correct time. We all have lunch together, then Luke does his afternoon lesson while Emmett skis with Eden again.

Emmett has had lessons a few times - he had a morning lesson the day we skied together as a family, one day when Eden wasn't available he took morning and afternoon lessons, and last Sunday when we went up with David he had a morning lesson again. He's gotten much more comfortable skiing and has ridden just about every blue and green run on the mountain - no black diamonds yet.

Luke can't ski independently yet. He can't always get up if he falls awkwardly, and he's too young to give a watch and have him meet us. Emmett isn't skilled enough to be his wrangler, so the Luke's been taking two lessons a day most days that we ski. Because of that, he may be the best skier in the family! He's also been all over the resort, and his instructor today said he could ski black diamonds, but probably would use a wedge not parallel turns (so it would be better to keep him on less steep runs until he's more solid with parallel turns). His instructor called him a natural skier.

David, of course, has only been up to ski twice this year. On the first day, he found it difficult to ski with Emmett because he was skiing slowly and it's hard work to go that slow down the mountain for a full grown adult. Yesterday afternoon he skied with Emmett and Luke. This time, the trouble was that they're so fast.

Brighton has lessons for 3 year olds, but Henry won't be 3 until the season is over next year. It may be possible to get private lessons - they have a parent/child option. It's too bad that David and I aren't solid skiers. One of the instructors recommended getting him skis, tip clamps, and a leash and just skiing with him, but I'm not sure we could comfortably do that. It will probably be another year of playing at the resort before Henry and I can start taking lessons.

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Thanks, Emmett.