Fatherhood anonymous; an open discussion on being a dad.

[HappyCamper]

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+1

Mine are in that range - tough go at times skiing together. Other times it's awesome.

It's not bad parenting when the chips are down to resort to serious bribes.

[Boissal]

I posted this in the dick waving thread but it was just too fun not to repost:

Last week, Grace was adamant on one more run before we went home to "show me her special trick." She even insisted on a particular chair lift. Turns out said trick was going to the terrain park, something she had done once in a lesson. Fortunately, mom was out of town so I filmed it. She just turned four, and her stoke throttle is always wide open. So fun.

https://youtube.com/shorts/CHtaa7lV6...zkR8U-CI3OsTc1

Damn, she is sending it!
Watching this put a giant smile on my face, and damn near made me tear up. My little one is 10 months old, just starting to look like she could take a step, and I can't wait for next winter. She's been out on snow a bunch and seems to enjoy it already (unless it's really windy). I have no intention of forcing her to ski, but I definitely want to introduce her to it and see what she makes of it. My hope is she'll go the way my niece has. She's 3 1/2 and has spent every single weekend and vacation skiing this winter. My sis leaves her with my parents, she does ski lessons with my mom in the AM (she's a ski instructor) then lunch with my dad and afternoon ski with him until she runs out of juice. I get daily videos of her getting after it, so much fun to watch. She is absolutely loving it, basically refuses to go home until she's wobbling with fatigue, and she's back at it the next day. Basically what my childhood was.

[riser4]

Having multiple boys is always fun. "Take your feet off your brother's head." They still brawl. They got into once on a stranger's lawn while we were there buying a washer and dryer. I was inside paying. They were outside, just out of view of the homeowner. So special. They were 19 and 17.

[yeahman]

Shit my daughters have never bickered at each other, no idea why, just lucky. Taking them skiing without my wife was always a dream come true. Nothing against my wife but my kids have been better skiers than her since they were six years old. Ski weekends with just me and the kids at Big Sky were all tram laps. Best of times.

[Buzzworthy]

I should just wear the boys GoPro every AM and Livestream it here for the lulz

And what was your YouTube channel again? Please ask said crotch goblins to film any and all dad explosions and/or meltdowns.

[DLD in UT]

I finished reading The Brothers K by David James Duncan last week. I really liked this quote at the end that the father tells his daughter as his father had told him:

“He said there are two ways for a hitter to get the pitch he wants. The simplest way is not to want any pitch in particular. But the best way, he said -- which sounds almost the same, but is really very different -- is to want the very pitch you're gonna get. Including the one you can handle. But also the one that's gonna strike you out looking. And even the one that's maybe gonna bounce off your head.”

My oldest (11), pictured below, can be a handful. He's the one that bounces off your head. And yet, you get a day like today and it all feels so damn worth it.

We toured a few times last year to some easier spots in the Wasatch (Pink Pine, Short Swing, Emmas) and he did great. But every one of those days, was a bit of a struggle to get out of the house and going. He wasn't all in. Today, he was all in. No, "I want to go to Costco with mom", etc. Today he asked about the avy report as we were driving up in the truck. He started the group check at the TH. And then he skinned 3k feet to the top of Argenta and dropped in on the headwall.

[alias_rice]

True fatherhood test upcoming..... Mrs Duff getting her knee scoped now, so I'll be taking both the 10 yo boy and the 6 yo girl to the Bird in a week solo. They are good travelers for the most part but are in the typical bickering phase where they alternate between being buddies or constantly harping on each other. Travelling outnumbered by these loons wasn't my ideal scenario, wish me luck. Once we manage to make it there it should be manageable ,although getting ready in the AM will likely be a shit show.

If you end up skiing next door let me know. My kid will happily show your son every jump on the hill. You can also try those 143 Bent Chetler’s if he’s interested.

[alias_rice]

I finished reading The Brothers K by David James Duncan last week. I really liked this quote at the end that the father tells his daughter as his father had told him:

“He said there are two ways for a hitter to get the pitch he wants. The simplest way is not to want any pitch in particular. But the best way, he said -- which sounds almost the same, but is really very different -- is to want the very pitch you're gonna get. Including the one you can handle. But also the one that's gonna strike you out looking. And even the one that's maybe gonna bounce off your head.”

My oldest (11), pictured below, can be a handful. He's the one that bounces off your head. And yet, you get a day like today and it all feels so damn worth it.

We toured a few times last year to some easier spots in the Wasatch (Pink Pine, Short Swing, Emmas) and he did great. But every one of those days, was a bit of a struggle to get out of the house and going. He wasn't all in. Today, he was all in. No, "I want to go to Costco with mom", etc. Today he asked about the avy report as we were driving up in the truck. He started the group check at the TH. And then he skinned 3k feet to the top of Argenta and dropped in on the headwall.

Well done!

[tgapp]

I finished reading The Brothers K by David James Duncan last week. I really liked this quote at the end that the father tells his daughter as his father had told him:

“He said there are two ways for a hitter to get the pitch he wants. The simplest way is not to want any pitch in particular. But the best way, he said -- which sounds almost the same, but is really very different -- is to want the very pitch you're gonna get. Including the one you can handle. But also the one that's gonna strike you out looking. And even the one that's maybe gonna bounce off your head.”

My oldest (11), pictured below, can be a handful. He's the one that bounces off your head. And yet, you get a day like today and it all feels so damn worth it.

We toured a few times last year to some easier spots in the Wasatch (Pink Pine, Short Swing, Emmas) and he did great. But every one of those days, was a bit of a struggle to get out of the house and going. He wasn't all in. Today, he was all in. No, "I want to go to Costco with mom", etc. Today he asked about the avy report as we were driving up in the truck. He started the group check at the TH. And then he skinned 3k feet to the top of Argenta and dropped in on the headwall.

well done!!

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[SchralphMacchio]

I was honestly expecting more sob stories from dads of ripper kids who are now too cool and too fast to ski with dad. "I'll be back later!"

My kids are 5 and soon to be 3; my philosophy on ski trips has been, 'I don't care what they do, downhill, XC, ski bike, play in the snow fort, sit in the Chariot ski trailer and listen to Grateful Dead while I tow them through the XC loops (actually that's partly no longer allowed, too damn heavy, just one kid at a time is allowed now), come walk the dog with me, I just want them outside in the snow and mostly happy for at least 1 hour of the day while we are up there.' We did three days in the RV lot at our hill last week and both of them didn't even ski at all, just played in the snow fort or were content whacking the snow bank behind the RV with a ski pole. My wife got to ski by herself for over an hour each day though, so the trip was pretty worth it.

[phatty]

I was honestly expecting more sob stories from dads of ripper kids who are now too cool and too fast to ski with dad. "I'll be back later!"

My kids are 5 and soon to be 3; my philosophy on ski trips has been, 'I don't care what they do, downhill, XC, ski bike, play in the snow fort, sit in the Chariot ski trailer and listen to Grateful Dead while I tow them through the XC loops (actually that's partly no longer allowed, too damn heavy, just one kid at a time is allowed now), come walk the dog with me, I just want them outside in the snow and mostly happy for at least 1 hour of the day while we are up there.' We did three days in the RV lot at our hill last week and both of them didn't even ski at all, just played in the snow fort or were content whacking the snow bank behind the RV with a ski pole. My wife got to ski by herself for over an hour each day though, so the trip was pretty worth it.

Haha. My older kids are strong skiers but I'm usually still waiting for them at the bottom. I keep waiting/hoping they catch up to me, but still not yet. I'm afraid I'm going to have to slow down for it to happen.

[alpinevibes]

My kids are 5 and soon to be 3; my philosophy on ski trips has been, 'I don't care what they do, downhill, XC, ski bike, play in the snow fort, sit in the Chariot ski trailer and listen to Grateful Dead while I tow them through the XC loops (actually that's partly no longer allowed, too damn heavy, just one kid at a time is allowed now), come walk the dog with me, I just want them outside in the snow and mostly happy for at least 1 hour of the day while we are up there.' We did three days in the RV lot at our hill last week and both of them didn't even ski at all, just played in the snow fort or were content whacking the snow bank behind the RV with a ski pole. My wife got to ski by herself for over an hour each day though, so the trip was pretty worth it.

Totally agree with this. Our boys ski a lot and continue to blow us away with their competency and motivation for skiing, but it’s really more about being outside and doing “something” each day.

[skinipenem]

I was honestly expecting more sob stories from dads of ripper kids who are now too cool and too fast to ski with dad. "I'll be back later!"

My kids are 5 and soon to be 3; my philosophy on ski trips has been, 'I don't care what they do, downhill, XC, ski bike, play in the snow fort, sit in the Chariot ski trailer and listen to Grateful Dead while I tow them through the XC loops (actually that's partly no longer allowed, too damn heavy, just one kid at a time is allowed now), come walk the dog with me, I just want them outside in the snow and mostly happy for at least 1 hour of the day while we are up there.' We did three days in the RV lot at our hill last week and both of them didn't even ski at all, just played in the snow fort or were content whacking the snow bank behind the RV with a ski pole. My wife got to ski by herself for over an hour each day though, so the trip was pretty worth it.

Hah! This is my life, too, with a 4 and 8 yo. Sometimes they would rather do other things than ski. Although the 8 yo is damn fast now.

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[muted reborn]

We have a great time skiing with our 7 and 10 year old, but I wasn't looking forward to skiing Snowbasin and getting stressed out by horrible skiers buzzing by our kids all day. So we didn't go. It's not fun at all for me.

Solutions are switching resorts that have more open/wider beginner slopes that aren't also the main way to the base for everyone, or staying at SB and hope the 7 year old gets better quick so we can ski terrain that's not packed every weekend.

[SchralphMacchio]

We have a great time skiing with our 7 and 10 year old, but I wasn't looking forward to skiing Snowbasin and getting stressed out by horrible skiers buzzing by our kids all day. So we didn't go. It's not fun at all for me.

Solutions are switching resorts that have more open/wider beginner slopes that aren't also the main way to the base for everyone, or staying at SB and hope the 7 year old gets better quick so we can ski terrain that's not packed every weekend.

Yeah that place is tough. Pretty sustained all the way to the base, those groomers are basically designed for people to practice GS hot laps all the way back to the chair! I’ve never been to Pow Mow, how is the beginner terrain there? I seem to recall that PCMR has plenty of slow flat runs with mountain hosts yelling at speeders, but those runs seemed narrow … and that can’t be cheap taking kids there!

[Duffman]

If you end up skiing next door let me know. My kid will happily show your son every jump on the hill. You can also try those 143 Bent Chetler’s if he’s interested.

Will def hit you up. We are usually back and forth between both Alta /Bird. The boy is itching to try those skis too. Thanks !

[The Reverend Floater]

Haha. My older kids are strong skiers but I'm usually still waiting for them at the bottom. I keep waiting/hoping they catch up to me, but still not yet. I'm afraid I'm going to have to slow down for it to happen.

Funny, I was waiting for my 8 yo at the bottom of a run the other day and had the first tinges of worry when she didn't show on the slope above. Then I hear, "Dad, let's go!" She had been right behind me (and I wasn't skiing slowly), blew by me as I stopped, and had been waiting below me the whole time. They get fast, quick.

Pic from a for-fun kids race she did a few weeks ago.

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[skaredshtles]

hope the 7 year old gets better quick so we can ski terrain that's not packed every weekend.

...

[californiagrown]

Finally found a good deal on boots/skis for my 2.5 yr old and I think he is now strong/coordinated enough to actually stand/glide on his own. Weather was going to be perfect this weekend- 50s and sunny, so we loaded up and headed out with big hopes of juniors first actual day on skis (not the plastic strapon skis). Car drive went smoothly and we got there nice and early, found a good spot 20yards from the bunny hill. I hop out of the car and put my sweathshirt on over my head, by the time i had pulled it down i hear my wife in the backseat say "well thats a great start to the day", so i looked back and my little guy had upchucked his big yogurt/waffle/smoothie breakfast all over himself, the backseat, and my wife. Everywhere... didnt realize he had eaten that much actually.

So, we mopped everything up the best we could with some rags i keep in the car, everyone changed out of their puke clothes and we promptly drove back home reeking of throwup. 1st day, not a success. We will try again soon.

[Dromond]

Finally found a good deal on boots/skis for my 2.5 yr old and I think he is now strong/coordinated enough to actually stand/glide on his own. Weather was going to be perfect this weekend- 50s and sunny, so we loaded up and headed out with big hopes of juniors first actual day on skis (not the plastic strapon skis). Car drive went smoothly and we got there nice and early, found a good spot 20yards from the bunny hill. I hop out of the car and put my sweathshirt on over my head, by the time i had pulled it down i hear my wife in the backseat say "well thats a great start to the day", so i looked back and my little guy had upchucked his big yogurt/waffle/smoothie breakfast all over himself, the backseat, and my wife. Everywhere... didnt realize he had eaten that much actually.

So, we mopped everything up the best we could with some rags i keep in the car, everyone changed out of their puke clothes and we promptly drove back home reeking of throwup. 1st day, not a success. We will try again soon.

Bummer!! Our sub-2.5 year old has been known to spew in the car. So far our only solution is draping a towel over the seat back and travelling with a lot of extra clothes for everyone. That said, we made it to the hill this weekend for her to slide around on her little plastic skis (mostly walking and playing with snow balls) and were luckily vomit-free.

[Dromond]

We have a great time skiing with our 7 and 10 year old, but I wasn't looking forward to skiing Snowbasin and getting stressed out by horrible skiers buzzing by our kids all day. So we didn't go. It's not fun at all for me.

Solutions are switching resorts that have more open/wider beginner slopes that aren't also the main way to the base for everyone, or staying at SB and hope the 7 year old gets better quick so we can ski terrain that's not packed every weekend.

I would say I have a phobia of my kid getting flattened by an adult skier when learning how to ski, and I don't think it's an unreasonable one since there are a lot of crap skiers out there and even good ones can be inconsiderate or make mistakes, not understanding how much damage they could do if they collided with another person. Does anyone have recommendations on ski areas or parts of ski area they have found to be ideal for teaching small kids to ski? Really tiny ski areas that most people avoid?

[funkendrenchman]

I would say I have a phobia of my kid getting flattened by an adult skier when learning how to ski, and I don't think it's an unreasonable one since there are a lot of crap skiers out there and even good ones can be inconsiderate or make mistakes, not understanding how much damage they could do if they collided with another person. Does anyone have recommendations on ski areas or parts of ski area they have found to be ideal for teaching small kids to ski? Really tiny ski areas that most people avoid?

Tiehack and Buttermilk are amazing for teaching kids (once they get turning figured out). There are very few fast skiers on West and Tiehack in particular. Panda Peak, which is their bunny slope, is also fantastic.

[Danno]

Yesterday I had a FB memory, was the 11 year anniversary of my daughter's first time on skis. And coincidentally, we went skiing yesterday and had a great time, and she was actually back to skiing pretty aggressively. Turns out, she loves Eldora and wants to do most of her skiing there (silly kid!). So next year I'll make sure we do.

[Danno]

I would say I have a phobia of my kid getting flattened by an adult skier when learning how to ski, and I don't think it's an unreasonable one since there are a lot of crap skiers out there and even good ones can be inconsiderate or make mistakes, not understanding how much damage they could do if they collided with another person. Does anyone have recommendations on ski areas or parts of ski area they have found to be ideal for teaching small kids to ski? Really tiny ski areas that most people avoid?

IME, Winter Park is really good for complete beginners, they have a whole area devoted to beginners that is ridiculously flat. And maybe this thread will be useful for you: https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...-non-beginners

[schuss]

I would say I have a phobia of my kid getting flattened by an adult skier when learning how to ski, and I don't think it's an unreasonable one since there are a lot of crap skiers out there and even good ones can be inconsiderate or make mistakes, not understanding how much damage they could do if they collided with another person. Does anyone have recommendations on ski areas or parts of ski area they have found to be ideal for teaching small kids to ski? Really tiny ski areas that most people avoid?

Beginner areas are usually wide and solid on that front. I spend a lot of time a bit behind my son running interference so he doesn't have to worry about people coming from the back and flattening him. Still got wiped out on a lesson with an instructor when someone plowed into him and a girl next to him.