Teaching an 8 yr old

A snowHead

Hi all

We'll be going back to Andorra for the third time in a few weeks. (I live in Portugal, it's cheaper!)

I have two children, the 8 yr old has done 2 weeks of lessons, the 6 yr old has done one week.

Last time I was a bit disappointed with one instructor. The elder one was snow-ploughing quite well at the beginning of the week, but sitting back on her skis. On day 1, I pointed to her and told the instructor "Can you give her some exercises to stop her doing that?" His reply was "Oh we don't bother teaching those details to children, the main thing is they have fun" or similar.

I learned in France in the late 80s (starting from age 16 I admit) and my ski technique is rubbish as for 6 weeks no-one bothered correcting it. It's now embedded. So I wasn't happy to hear that.

Does anyone here agree or disagree with what the instructor said? Should I be more patient or was I right to ask to correct a basic error?

By the way, as I understand it, she made no progress during that week. Had fun, but was still snow-ploughing at the end of it. So, as often happens, they weren't so much group lessons as babysitting... It's not that I'm pushy but pragmatic, I'd like her to learn to parallel stop for the simple reason that then she can stop at higher speeds!

Thanks for your opinions Smile

A snowHead

Kids have a slightly different centre of gravity and proportionally a different musculature so typically will ski "in the backseat" as this is a more natural position for them. Trying to get them to "lean forward" is not necessary, and often unhelpful. Focus on getting them to make rounded, linked turns; develop their agility (lots of jumping games); lots of follow-me drills so they develop an understanding of using turn shape to control their speed; and overall develop a sense of fun. Seen too many kids in tears with parents bellowing at them to 'do this, do that, lean forward, ski parallel, etc, etc'. Their stance will move forwards as they get older and their bodies develop. But above all, have fun.

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I do think the instructur was quite right. As we say when the small ones come down the piste "not technic - but lots off control", that is how they learn to ski.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

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I don't know as much as the above posters, but if an instructor had said that to me I would be furious. He may or may not be correct in allowing her to sit back more than an adult, but he should at least know the correct answer.

You're paying him to teach your child to ski - obviously that should be fun, but it should also be done correctly.

As I said, I don't know enough to inform on what correct actually is, but I don't think that instructors answer was very good.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@huntleth, what the instructor said WAS the correct answer.

Kids learn differently to adults as well, they're very visual learners. Trying to do too much "press your shins into the front of your boots and put pressure on your outside ski" type instruction isn't always very useful.

After all it is free

Thanks all

I'll just be a bit more patient then...

I did try to get out of my bad habits, but it didn't seem to last long. Though if I've been 14 weeks in 25 years, and 5 of them were boarding, perhaps there is just too much time away from the slopes for it to really catch? Bizarrely, the one thing that really helped me was one day on a mono ski, remember them, feet together? I think that was 1990, they seem to have been banned since then, either as a danger or a fashion crime... But whereas I could sit back on two skis and rely on balance and strong leg muscles to get me out of trouble, with that I soon learned that it just wouldn't turn unless my body was perpendicular to it. Back on two skis the next day and I absolutely blasted down the slope. Never seen one since!

I'll see if I cough up for a private lesson or two this year, though last night my wife huffed "so what do I do by myself then?" Sigh...

Thanks again!

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THE most important thing for kids, especially at such a young age IS to simply have fun, period. It's ALL about acquainting oneself with snow, skis, the interplay between the two, movement, motion, etc. and all that goes with same inclusive most certainly with lots of laughs, smiles, a hot chocolate or two. You and your children - the family - are making memories more than anything else. That IS what it IS all about. Making memories.

In all candor kids at that age ARE generally being babysitted by an "instructor". If you want the 8 year old to approach parallel turns may I suggest you yourself go with your child for a few hours, say one half of the day and starting out on a gentle slope where the child cannot get into any "trouble", attempt to have the child progressively "carve" as it were a series of long radius left and right turns whereupon the skis remain parallel. Kids naturally go for a wider stance and you can discuss her stance and the parallel factor with her which she WILL attempt to emulate. The child WILL progressively sense through application (aided and abetted by your kind instruction replete with lots of hugs and encouragement and applause) and muscle memory (!) the sensation of two skis working effectively as one to complete a turn - turns both right and left in relative parallel manner. Progressively work with your child to attempt to shorten the radius, thus in turn it WILL come all together and you can progress to greater inclination of slope and speed, progressing further. So much must be said for time and patience, familiarization. This is not a race, above all in your child's heart. Make memories. Have fun. Have a hot chocolate. Laugh. Time does go by so fast.

The kid video'd below (Maitre Keir) was a ripe 8 years of age and on his second day ever of skiing. He was brought about progressively with lots of encouragement, laughs, hugs, kisses and applause. Today he skis like a French Mistral with a huge smile on his face.......................................

http://youtube.com/v/aZx652yd09Q

snow reports

@rob@rar, great post to read considering i'm off with my 2 for the first day of the season tomorrow at glenshee for a reminder/warm up. 'fun' will be the keyword of the day. thanks Happy

I totally agree that kids ski differently to adults, and fun is the key. It's very difficult to teach them to be over their feet etc unless they are ready for it - if they can get around the hill as fast as they want to, having fun, and in control, they don't really see why they should do it differently. When they are big enough, they will learn how to ski 'properly', and having skied like a kid for several years won't stop that.
My daughter started skiing when she was 4; when she was 10 I watched her on a school organised dry slope lesson before a school trip, and thought 'she doesn't need to be skiing like that anymore'.
After about 3 private dry slope lessons (with a colleague, not me - kids don't listen to their parents!), she was over her feet, parallel, beginning to learn to carve, and she's never looked back - she is now an awesome skier.
So the instructor was right, although he could maybe have worded it better!

You know it makes sense.

Yes skiing for kids should be fun.....but glancing through the posts above I have not seen any reference to what the student wants to achieve. You'll usually see kids this age in race kit, training in many resorts, so it's not impossible to coach kids to race carve etc....unless the child doesn't wish to do this. So Snowplough turns and skiing in the back seat are not the only option, it really depends on the student's needs and motivation.
By opting for private lessons, it is perhaps easier to be specific in what you or your daughter wish to achieve.
I hope that this helps.

Help!!

Teaching an 8 yr old

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