Will short skis help the move to parallel?

I would say as long as your daughter enjoying herself, there's the opportunity to improve.too much pressure and pushing it could be rattles out the pram situation.
Have you thought about a couple of private lessons just you and her. That way she does not feel uncomfortable etc like if she was in a group lesson, and you will get some tips and pointers as well?

Thanks guys for all the comments......You are all probably right...the problem is me isn't it?

Snapzzz wrote:Thanks guys for all the comments......You are all probably right...the problem is me isn't it?

Snapzzz it's not you! Your just like any parent!! They want the best for there kids and they want to enjoy time on the slopes together as a family. I am no different my son is 6 and has now skiied for 3 years and also skis weekly at castleford and he has only now started to parallel but If he picks up too much speed or thinks its to steep out comes the trusty pizza shape and that is because that's the first thing he was taught to slow down. My biggest problem is his mum!she can't get it into her head that because it's a red doesn't always mean its steeper than a blue! It could be narrow in some parts or slightly steep at the start for instance but now my little one has picked up on this he just says I am not skiing that cos its red!! (mum says they are steep) when I learnt to ski some 20 yrs ago I did not look at piste markings I just concentrated on getting down it!!!

End of the day! Andy is right its about making it a fun holiday cos if the little ones say they don't want to go it would be a nightmare !!! Just enjoy it and be patient with your daughter she will conquer the parallel sooner than later !!!

A few things that might help.

J turns, start straight down the fall line and then then turn until you stop (turning back up hill). This reinforces turning to control speed. The idea must be pushed that you turn to control speed, not brake (especially in a snow plough). Model this your self. Don't let her see you braking to stay with her, use turn shape instead with parallel skis.

Stay in a good skiing stance. Too many parents lean back and slouch when skiing slowly with kids. Then they wonder why the kids always ski like that. The transition to skiing parallel is all about being forward, and moving forward to start turns.

Find ways to make turns interesting. Follow the leader, Simon says etc. Making a variety of turns, trying to trick those following with either parent or kid doing the leading. If you can carve, a pair of small radius skis can lay down winding railway tracks that kids love to follow.

Hi Snapzzz,
I agree with everyoone else on this one. I don't think it matters at all how fast your daughter skis, or whether she's still snow-ploughing, as long as she's having fun. It's not like school, where they pretty much HAVE to learn the three 'R's.

My younger daughter started ski-ing when she was 9 and had a bad experience with a Bulgarian lady ski instructor who was really cross with Britain and decided to take it out on the kids. So I was just glad that she agreed to try again and go on another ski holiday the following year. And I'm sure she was still snow-ploughing on her third ski holiday. I can remember looking out of the hotel window and seeing her in her children's group lesson going down a red run - all of them doing snow-plough turns in a snake following their Austrian lady instructor (who was a brilliant instructor and really great with the kids).

And by the next holiday she was doing parallel turns and there was no obvious change between the snow-plough and the parallel - I think the instructor just made the turns gradually tighter until they were all ski-ing parallel.

And now, SHE is the one getting impatient with ME because I'm ski-ing too slowly for HER. She's quite happy going off-piste and ski-ing powder up to her waist, whereas I get all nervous if the powder is any more than about 6 inches deep.

I think it would be a very good idea if you could afford to pay for one of her friends to come with you on holiday, especially if they ski worse than she does. Ski-ing with someone who skies worse than you do yourself is a great confidence booster! It would be her turn then to say 'hurry up, can't you go any faster?' and things like that. And if they'd go in group lessons together then you could have time off to ski fast.

Anyway, best of luck with finding a solution to this :D

Ally

Trencher wrote:A few things that might help.

J turns, start straight down the fall line and then then turn until you stop (turning back up hill). This reinforces turning to control speed. The idea must be pushed that you turn to control speed, not brake (especially in a snow plough).

Thats a good point, i hadn't thought of that exercise. I always drill it in that turns control speed not ploughs but this will be a good demonstration, Thanks.

AllyG wrote:
I think it would be a very good idea if you could afford to pay for one of her friends to come with you on holiday, especially if they ski worse than she does.

I have actually thought about that many times but Mrs Snapzzz, understandably, believes its a huge responsibility taking some one else child abroad and putting them in a potentially dangerous environment. I would definitely do it though if we could find the right friend.

Jon

Snapzzz wrote:Thanks guys for all the comments......You are all probably right...the problem is me isn't it?

Nope. But you have a passionate interest in skiing, she just goes for the holiday. Thats the difference at this stage.

Snapzzz wrote:

AllyG wrote:
I think it would be a very good idea if you could afford to pay for one of her friends to come with you on holiday, especially if they ski worse than she does.

I have actually thought about that many times but Mrs Snapzzz, understandably, believes its a huge responsibility taking some one else child abroad and putting them in a potentially dangerous environment. I would definitely do it though if we could find the right friend.

Jon

Snapzzz,
How about her doing a course in a snow dome then, with a friend? My daughter's school just happened to go ski-ing on a dry slope for a day after the Bulgaria holiday, and she was very much encouraged because she and a friend were by far the best skiers in the class (because the rest of them hadn't been ski-ing) and were praised etc. by the teacher who was amazed how good they were. It is all relative.

Ally