# 12/5/2015 - Gunstock (First Day for the little guy)



## Bostonian (Dec 5, 2015)

*Date:  *12/5/2015

*Location: *Gunstock

*Conditions:  *Man made / Magic Carpet fun!

*Report:*  Today was the first day out for my son and his second time ever on skis!  Naturally we went to the home hill for some lessons by yours truly (not sure if it is a good thing!)  But him being 4 and 3/4, season pass in tow, and a magic carpet ready to roll, today was about having fun on skis!  So we took to the little patch of manmade snow and the little guy was off!  He knows pizza pie and french fry. Plus he has mastered the magic carpet

Here are some photos:


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## deadheadskier (Dec 5, 2015)

Awesome job dad. 

My son is almost 9 months.  I keep telling him that it's no fun to crawl with skis on and if wants to get out on the hill this season he needs to get his act together and learn how to walk.  So far, no luck.


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## marcski (Dec 5, 2015)

Well done!


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## Angus (Dec 5, 2015)

get him out of that snowplow quick...have him point in the direction he wants to ski and he'll naturally turn. teach him to jump on his skis into the turn and along with watching/emulating you, he'll be making parallel turns before end of December. great day to get a youngsta out on hill. have fun.


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## Warp Daddy (Dec 5, 2015)

Great stuff Bostonian , skiing with your kids and then later your grandkids is one of life's finest events . Remember to keep making it phun !!


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## Warp Daddy (Dec 5, 2015)

This will be the first season in several decades i cant make our annual Christmas excursion with my boyz and grand boyz , but i will go to the hill with them . Here we are after a full day of it last Christmas Day


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## bigbog (Dec 5, 2015)

Good timing Bostonian....nice day for it being his first trip.  Better days will come, either this season or next....


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## Bostonian (Dec 6, 2015)

It was a lot of fun, but man I am sore!   He did a great job, and Angus, I will once he can at least control the snow plow.  he is a little skittish still, but I think two more times on the snow pile will get him ready for linked jump turns.  He did really good for 4 yrs old and really his first time out.  He spent 4 hours goofing around and having fun - so to me that is key


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## Whitey (Dec 6, 2015)

Paid my dues with my 2 boys the same way, Bostonian.   About 6 yrs on greenies getting them both going.    As painful as that was - it was totally worth it.   There's nothing better than when you reach that day when your child starts to get it and starts exploring how far they can go on skis.   Before you know it - they are there right next to you, tearing up the mountain.   It gets even better as they become teens because the # of things that they want to do with mom & dad starts to dwindle (not cool hanging w/ m&d, plus it becomes all about hanging with their friends).   Skiing stays as one thing that even my 16 yr old will say "yah, let's do it!" when asked if he wants to day trip/go away the next weekend with me.    I enjoy skiing with my kids' friends too.  Talk about a lack of fear.   I was surprised at how much it has helped my skiing because they push me to challenge myself and I end up skiing some pretty ambitious stuff with them (& thoroughly enjoying it).

My advice; as soon as your son is able to ski anything beyond the magic carpet - get him together with one of his friends who skis who is a better skier than he is.    Put them together, ski with them a little bit, and then turn them loose.   About an hour later you will see your son and won't recognize him.    When they ski with a buddy who skis a little better than them they forget about the speed/fear and try to emulate/keep up with their friend.   They realize how much fun it is to ski with a friend and the inhibitions fall away.   It won't be pretty turns at first but they will find a way to get up and down.   The rest will come after that. 

Sounds like you've got a good thing going at Gunstock, but Nashoba and Bradford are great places to take the youngsters.  Their small size is great because that means you can let kids do some stuff by themselves or with friends and not worry about losing them or their getting lost.   It's not just about the skiing with the youngsters.  It's also the taste of freedom they get.   Think about it - how many activities can you do with a 7-12 yr old where you can just let them go to do their thing and not worry about them getting hit by a car, kidnapped by a psycho, hopelessly lost, etc?  Skiing is about the only thing.   Love the looks on my youngest face when he and his buddies are flying around a mountain on their own.   I think there are some life-lessons in there for them too;  learning to navigate & figure things out without M&D telling them what to do, self reliance, independence, etc. 

Some dues paying for you ahead but a tremendous reward awaits.


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## mriceyman (Dec 6, 2015)

Awesome.. My kid will be 2 in april so hopefully next season i can get him sliding on some snow 


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## xwhaler (Dec 6, 2015)

Excellent.  My now almost 3 yr old had fun on the carpet and plastic skis last season.
This yr we are in the Whaleback 3-5 yr old program so hoping he really takes to it.
Such an amazing family sport.


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## dlague (Dec 6, 2015)

Another great story!


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## Abubob (Dec 6, 2015)

Awesome. Neither one of you will for get these days. Memories for a lifetime.


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