Monday I took Charlie and Teddy skiing. Teddy took a lesson and I skied with Charlie and it changed us. I love skiing and I love doing a sport with Charlie. We both had so much fun and in having to talk him through difficulty (if he didn’t do it perfectly he’d get frustrated at first) we both understood each other a little more I think. And it made me realize my strength in coaching him safely down a mountain so he could have fun without hurting himself. I took him back on Wednesday for a day skiing with just the two of us. It was heaven. Being outside with him was so much fun. Having him follow me down the trails felt so naturally perfect- he was my little duck right behind me. Then I would follow him, though skiing ahead to block him if I though he was going to fast. We cross crossed and he would lead me all over. Snuggling on the lift with him chatting about the trees below and what we saw in the sky (he and teddy like us to talk about the shapes we see in clouds-elephant is a popular one). We took a lesson from the coolest 70 year old woman who skis and snowboards daily. She was totally inspiring and the perfect combination of maternal gentleness and no nonesense toughness.
Charlie is so hilarious and made me laugh so hard- he told me jokes and we had a great conversation about what it would be like he owned a McDonalds.
Charlie begged me to take him on tougher trails- I did. At the top of this high mountain he asked “I’m a little afraid- are you afraid?” I said “A little because I don’t know what this trail is like. But overcoming that and not being afraid is part of the fun of this and I am not too afraid because I know we can get down this mountain together.”
It was so fast and we wiped out and I had moments of nervousness when he cried about bot being able to get up and Would say “i cant do it” but we were alone and i had to get us down the mountain and promised gum
If he would get up and do it and we made it down and at the bottom i was relieved and he begged to do it again. The teacher couldn’t believe he went down this. The best part was that he had fun and could be proud of his own ability and accomplishment and wants to go back.