We’ve been doing a lot of family skiing this winter – more than any winter previously, and as of this weekend’s latest day trip, my boys (10 & 7) are officially better skiers than I am.
It happened quickly: At the beginning of this season we still had them on beginner slopes and hubby and I each had to pair off with a kid to make sure they were okay as we went down the mountain. Somewhere along the way, they learned how to ski and not only did they learn how to ski, they learned how to ski well.
The learning curve on a child never ceases to amaze me and in the span of just a few months, they are skiing better than I do, and I’ve been skiing for years.
Part of it is that they are 10 and 7 year old boys. They just have no fear, not the way that I do at 39. But it’s also just a boundless energy – they don’t tire; they want to go faster, and better. They want to jump the moguls. My immediate ski future holds no more cruising down a blue intermediate slope happily; I spent yesterday afternoon at Jack Frost Mountain barreling down the black diamonds advanced runs trying to keep up with them and most of the time they were waiting at the chair lift for us.
Oh and today my quads are still burning and my right knee hurts. I felt like an old person waking up and grumbling to hubby about my battered knee that didn’t like what I did to it all day.
At some point recently, our tables have turned and I’m not just talking about skiing.
When my kids get hurt? I don’t really pick them up and cuddle them anymore. I can’t really pick them up anymore (especially the 10 year old) and even if I could, picking them up and telling them their boo-boo will be okay doesn’t really cut it anymore. They don’t need me to hold their hands to ski or hold their hands for much of anything anymore.
Knowing this has definitely been taking it’s toll on me emotionally and seems to have happened quickly. As I rode the ski lift yesterday, I observed all the skiers too. There’s some older skiers for sure but the majority of the people you see on the mountain are kids or twenty-somethings. There are a few brave Empty Nester types on the mountain but not much.
Circle of Life, people. *Sniff*
By the way, if you also happen to be a skier and either live in PA or live close enough that you could take a day trip to our mountains, check out my 3 Reasons to Ski in PA post from a few months back which includes info on how your 9-11 year old child can ski for free.
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