Ski Trainer Showdown: Teaching Kids To Ski

Ski Trainer Showdown: Mommy vs. Daddy

Mom’s two cents:

Eric and I decided to teach our girls to ski and wanted to keep it fun and safe.  I thought using a backpack-style ski trainer with leashes would help, while he thought it would be a “crutch.”  We bickered a little.  I agreed to hold off on buying the trainer.

Up on the hill, the girls weren’t into standing on their own feet for long—they leaned on me and pulled on my poles.  They screamed when they went too fast and I feared they’d hit something or someone.  My back was screaming from picking them up all day.  I bought the Lucky Bums Ski Trainer (for me, if not for the kids.)

I loved it.  Elise gained confidence and speed with it and the look on her face when she realized I wasn’t helping her anymore was priceless.  By her third time up she was done with it.  We still use it on Maya, who just points down the hill and goes (no interest in “making pizza.”)  She giggles when I flap the straps and yell, “Mush!” as we fly down the hill.  Cash well spent.

Dad’s turn:

I’m literally from the “sink or swim” school of thought (learned to swim by jumping in the deep end), using a “crutch” doesn’t sit well with me. I also didn’t want to over-coach my kids to the point of being a “fun vampire.”  I like to give a little instruction then drop them off into the deep end to learn on their own.  This didn’t work so well for me on the slopes.

I snowboard and found it hard to hold on to the girls so they could find their footing. The 400-yard bunny hill wore me out!  When Heidi bought the ski trainer I opposed it, but I found it much easier for me to help the kids down the hill with it.  I grasped the reins and with a hearty, “Heeaw, mule!” we were off.  Once she relaxed, Elise learned to snowplow and stop in just a couple of runs.  Maya just smiles and bombs the hill with the trainer on and I have peace of mind that she’s safely in my control.  I could only do a couple of runs without the trainer before I was pooped and being ridiculed by my 4 and 6-year-old girls.  With it, my back and I could go all day.  Final verdict?  The ski trainer is good for the kids and great for me.  Now all I have to put up with is the gloating from my wife.

By Heidi & Eric Drake