My son and I are taking ski lessons this year. Ober Gatlinburg offers a special program to homeschoolers in January and February. The age minimum is seven.
My son and I during our first ski lesson
Oh, the lessons we learned as we went to our first lessons last Sunday! In no particular order, we learned how to:
- pick up skis, poles, and helmets
- rent a locker for our own boots
- return said rentals
- “park” said rentals so we could go have lunch
- fall the right way
- get up the right way
- get into skis the right way
- turn left and right
- stop on a bunny hill
- come to a stop on an intermediate hill
- get back up a hill when there is no chair lift
- persevere through the fear and discouragement
- stop laughing at people who fall
- help those who ask for help
- make a phone call without cell signal
I can’t say enough about this first powder day. The fears we faced and overcame probably rank highest on my list of accomplishments so far this year. Many thanks to my son who was my teacher in the subject of Perseverance. At seven, he knows how to persevere. He kept falling and could not even get back up. He got so tangled in his skis and poles, the teacher had to walk over to help him many times. And he got up. Again, and again, and again. Continue reading »