How to Teach a 3-Year-Old How to Ski

I had a couple of thoughts I wanted to jot down after spending the past year teaching my three-year-old son how to ski.  In no particular order:
1.  Have patience.  If your kid wants to sit down, stop and eat snow, build a snowman, or drink hot chocolate every two to three runs, do it.  If they are tired and want to take a nap, stop and take a nap with them. 
2.  Use a “helper.” My three year old used an Edgie Wedgie up until last Saturday.  The device is essentially a piece of surgical tubing with a clamp on each side that hooks to the tip of each ski.  It makes stopping and turning much less dynamic – instead of needing to push on the front of his boot to be in the wedge, all he had to do was lean back a bit and push out.  This makes a huge difference for little kids.
3. Get a helmet.  The best way to buy kids ski gear is to shop the sales in late March and April, buy something that works for your oldest, and then hand the stuff down.  My son has a great hand-me-down helmet that his older sister used.  He has been on his head a lot this winter and I have been grateful on multiple occasions for his helmet.  Instead of crying after a hard fall, he has been able to laugh at the big wipe outs he took.
4.  Get help.  I am pretty comfortable on skis and can chase my kids around.  My wife and others I see on the hill have a very hard time dealing with the demands of little children on skis.  When teaching a child how to ski you will need to: 1) lift them on the chair lift, 2) help them off the chair, 3) pick them up when they fall, 4) carry them and their skis and your skis across a parking lot, 5) push them across any flat part of the slope, 6) rescue them from bad judgment calls, 7) hold them on the lift so they don’t accidentally fall off, 8) hike uphill to help out when needed, and 9) be able to personally ski while being 95% focused on your child.  If you are not able to do all of these things, often simultaneously, get help.  Snowbird (and other local resorts) has an amazing ski school.  All a parent needs to do is drop off their child in the morning and pick them up in the afternoon.  No hassles, not that expensive, and the kids love meeting new friends. 
5. Don’t strangle your child (please).  I often see well intentioned parents who put their own ski poles under the armpits and across the chests of their children who dangle between their legs.  It looks miserable and the poles often end on or just below their kids necks.  Please, put down your poles, bend over and grab your child’s hips, and guide them down in a way that they can stand up on their own, weight their own skis, and feel the snow.  It took my son three runs this year between my legs (with my hands supporting his hips) for him to be good and confident enough to go on his own. 
Also - if you can, ski backwards just in front of your child when they are just starting out.  That way if they lose control, you are there to catch them.  Twin tip skis help with this.
6. No diapers.  Can you imagine having to change a diaper on the ski hill?  Neither can I.  Use this as motivation for kids who need help using underwear.   
7. Take treats.  Stuff your pockets with them.  There are few things better than sharing a rice crispy treat or M&M’s with a three year old on a chair lift.
8.  Have fun! Go with friends, siblings, family, and tell them how great they are doing.