Comments on: Want your Kid to Love the Backcountry? http://www.wildsnow.com/480/want-your-kid-to-love-the-backcountry/ Backcountry Skiing Weblog Blog, FAQs, more, links and info about randonnee, telemark and backcountry ski mountaineering. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:16:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Jody Lowe http://www.wildsnow.com/480/want-your-kid-to-love-the-backcountry/comment-page-1/#comment-4712 Jody Lowe Tue, 14 Nov 2006 19:32:21 +0000 http://www.wildsnow.com/?p=480#comment-4712 I just moved to Montrose, CO from NC and I have 10 & 8 kids. I am wanting to introduce them to bc skiing and want to know some kid friendly trails in the area if anyone can help me. Thanks JL I just moved to Montrose, CO from NC and I have 10 & 8 kids. I am wanting to introduce them to bc skiing and want to know some kid friendly trails in the area if anyone can help me.

Thanks

JL

]]> By: Todd Goertzen http://www.wildsnow.com/480/want-your-kid-to-love-the-backcountry/comment-page-1/#comment-4605 Todd Goertzen Fri, 27 Oct 2006 21:12:51 +0000 http://www.wildsnow.com/?p=480#comment-4605 I agree with a lot of what’s been written. Regarding pushing or not pushing… Our kids are 12 (F) and 10 (M). We started them skiing (alpine – ski area) young 3-4, car camping at -1, hiking/exploring out doors in a pack and walking themselves as soon as they could (Ben learned to walk while camping on slickrock), backpacking at 5-6, rockclimbing 6-7ish, XC skiing 7ish, etc… Every year we do a collage of photo’s with a Christmas letter. The photo’s show a lot of outdoor activity. I give a copy to my office. Our front office is made up of middle aged woman who do very little outdoor activity. Last year one of them asked “What would you have done if your kids weren’t athletic, if they weren’t outdoorsy?�. My response was, “They never had that choice�. Truth is we love our kids and most often chose to take them with us when we recreate verses leaving them behind. I’ve seen the power of the outdoors help them deal with their various moods. Often one or the other of the kids won’t be into going wherever were going but their not given the option to stay home alone – 99.9% of the time – once they’re out, stripped down to the basics of walking, caring their lunch, setting a goal (a peak, lake, “the bridge�…), achieving the goal. Something clicks then something changes. They’re more their base self. More happy, more confident. Some day you younger parents will hear your kids say “thanks for making me go. I didn’t want to, but I’m so glad I did�. Once they start to realize the joy that being active and “outdoorsy� brings – they start to want to push themselves outdoors and will start pushing you to follow along. Pushing your kids to do something way beyond their interests or to allow you to live vicariously through them is wrong. However - Prompting, prodding, cajoling,… can have some wonderful benefits. My daughter still laugh’s about the trip where I taught her “Pain is my friend, pain is my friend, pain is my friend…� I agree with a lot of what’s been written. Regarding pushing or not pushing… Our kids are 12 (F) and 10 (M). We started them skiing (alpine – ski area) young 3-4, car camping at -1, hiking/exploring out doors in a pack and walking themselves as soon as they could (Ben learned to walk while camping on slickrock), backpacking at 5-6, rockclimbing 6-7ish, XC skiing 7ish, etc… Every year we do a collage of photo’s with a Christmas letter. The photo’s show a lot of outdoor activity. I give a copy to my office. Our front office is made up of middle aged woman who do very little outdoor activity. Last year one of them asked “What would you have done if your kids weren’t athletic, if they weren’t outdoorsy?�. My response was, “They never had that choice�. Truth is we love our kids and most often chose to take them with us when we recreate verses leaving them behind. I’ve seen the power of the outdoors help them deal with their various moods. Often one or the other of the kids won’t be into going wherever were going but their not given the option to stay home alone – 99.9% of the time – once they’re out, stripped down to the basics of walking, caring their lunch, setting a goal (a peak, lake, “the bridge�…), achieving the goal. Something clicks then something changes. They’re more their base self. More happy, more confident. Some day you younger parents will hear your kids say “thanks for making me go. I didn’t want to, but I’m so glad I did�. Once they start to realize the joy that being active and “outdoorsy� brings – they start to want to push themselves outdoors and will start pushing you to follow along.

Pushing your kids to do something way beyond their interests or to allow you to live vicariously through them is wrong. However – Prompting, prodding, cajoling,… can have some wonderful benefits. My daughter still laugh’s about the trip where I taught her “Pain is my friend, pain is my friend, pain is my friend…â€?

]]> By: David George http://www.wildsnow.com/480/want-your-kid-to-love-the-backcountry/comment-page-1/#comment-4604 David George Fri, 27 Oct 2006 02:26:06 +0000 http://www.wildsnow.com/?p=480#comment-4604 Lou, What a great article, it brought tears to my eyes. Both my kids, now 23 and 27, were raised skiing, hiking, camping and climbing and they still love it today. Back country skiing on our backs at age 6 months, on skis at 2 (play skiing), real skiing at 3 or 4, snow camping at 8, Wind River rock climbing at 9, Baldy Chutes at 10... the rest is history. I do think that some of the key steps are: Making it fun...for both parents and kids. It is not the time to push. Expose them to the elemnts with excellent equipment...it makes them shrug off the bad days. Bring friends. Teach them safe behavior...beacons at 8 yrs. (Drills are great fun for kids) Huge rewards at the end of the day. BUT remember the three most feared (and cherished) words to a skiing parent... FOLLOW ME DAD! Best regards, DG Lou,

What a great article, it brought tears to my eyes. Both my kids, now 23 and 27, were raised skiing, hiking, camping and climbing and they still love it today. Back country skiing on our backs at age 6 months, on skis at 2 (play skiing), real skiing at 3 or 4, snow camping at 8, Wind River rock climbing at 9, Baldy Chutes at 10… the rest is history. I do think that some of the key steps are:

Making it fun…for both parents and kids. It is not the time to push.
Expose them to the elemnts with excellent equipment…it makes them shrug off the bad days.
Bring friends.
Teach them safe behavior…beacons at 8 yrs. (Drills are great fun for kids)
Huge rewards at the end of the day.

BUT remember the three most feared (and cherished) words to a skiing parent…

FOLLOW ME DAD!

Best regards,

DG

]]> By: Brent Read http://www.wildsnow.com/480/want-your-kid-to-love-the-backcountry/comment-page-1/#comment-4598 Brent Read Thu, 26 Oct 2006 18:56:13 +0000 http://www.wildsnow.com/?p=480#comment-4598 Thanks Lou, this is an excellent topic. As a young father, I appreciate hearing what others are doing to share their joys with their kids. When or son turned 1, we got a backpack to carry him along on adventures. We have done short backpacking/hiking trips, and some easy backcountry touring with him in it. Now a year later when I set the backpack on the floor to pack it in the car, he climbs into the pack and gets excited about going for the ride. Our 6 month old daughter also enjoys riding in a baby carrier, and we have all enjoyed some great hikes together. I think all of the outdoor experiences you can take them on helps them appriciate the outdoors year-round. Thanks Lou, this is an excellent topic.

As a young father, I appreciate hearing what others are doing to share their joys with their kids. When or son turned 1, we got a backpack to carry him along on adventures. We have done short backpacking/hiking trips, and some easy backcountry touring with him in it. Now a year later when I set the backpack on the floor to pack it in the car, he climbs into the pack and gets excited about going for the ride. Our 6 month old daughter also enjoys riding in a baby carrier, and we have all enjoyed some great hikes together. I think all of the outdoor experiences you can take them on helps them appriciate the outdoors year-round.

]]> By: Alex http://www.wildsnow.com/480/want-your-kid-to-love-the-backcountry/comment-page-1/#comment-4597 Alex Thu, 26 Oct 2006 16:14:42 +0000 http://www.wildsnow.com/?p=480#comment-4597 It is fantastic getting your kids into skiing at a young age, especially backcountry skiing. Such skills are harder to learn in later life, especially when a little thing called career gets in the way!! I wish my parents had got me into snow at a young age, it has taken me 21 years for my first snow experiences. I saw snow for the first time last christmas in the UK and could not believe what I had missed out on all this time!! So many wasted uni-student vacations! Since then, however I have been on a skiing trip and a winter hiking trip and I am completely hooked - absolutely clamouring to do all things snow. Fantastic to introduce your kids into snow activities - I know I will when i have 'em :-) It is fantastic getting your kids into skiing at a young age, especially backcountry skiing. Such skills are harder to learn in later life, especially when a little thing called career gets in the way!!

I wish my parents had got me into snow at a young age, it has taken me 21 years for my first snow experiences. I saw snow for the first time last christmas in the UK and could not believe what I had missed out on all this time!! So many wasted uni-student vacations! Since then, however I have been on a skiing trip and a winter hiking trip and I am completely hooked – absolutely clamouring to do all things snow.

Fantastic to introduce your kids into snow activities – I know I will when i have ‘em :-)

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