Tough competition these days, getting the kids out of the house and into the
great outdoors. Most school-aged kids have bedrooms that resemble hi-tech
resorts: laptop with high speed internet, iPods with docking stations and
speakers, 24/7 cell phone coverage, and millions of
YouTube ski and snowboard videos. Why
would they want to leave the connected comfort of their crib on weekends
when the world and their friends are at their fingertips?
“Because, Mom and Dad said so, that’s why.” That worked for my parents, but
today’s catered-to kids need a more ambush approach. Drawing your kids away
from their facebook and twitter to an actual ski place may require more than
mom and dad’s mandate.
Here are some tried and true manipulators to draw your kids to the sport of
downhill, and wean them from spending the weekend online. I have been known
to lure my loafing teens with these tricks:
Start by allowing, even encouraging, your kids to check out the resort
website before your trip. Ski resorts spend serious dough to make a big
splash online with fancy flash technology, video clips, and web cams
positioned on terrain hits. These visuals should grab their attention and
get them thinking about going live and in person to the snowy playgrounds
versus the virtual experience.
Excite them with a possible sighting of an Olympian or X Game star – like
Simon Dumont at Sunday River. You just
never who will show on the slopes of New England. Olympic Gold medalists
Ross Powers, Lindsey Jacobellis and Kelly Clark make appearances at southern
Vermont resorts Stratton,
Mount Snow and
Okemo. Seth Wescott rides regularly
at
Sugarloaf, and Bode
Miller graces the Granite State slopes on occasion. Simon Dumont grew up
skiing
Sunday River, and
last April he launched a world-record 35-feet in the air off a monstrous
quarter pipe to the amazement of the lucky spectators in Maine that day. My
daughter would have given up her cell phone for a month to see that.
Convince
your kids that “couch surfing” is passé, so last minute – and snow surfing
is cooler, whether on one plank or two. Shawn White and Tanner Hall did not
get discovered in the confines of their closet, you have to get outside to
be cool in winter.
Remind your kids that childhood obesity, while on the rise, is not the rage.
Skiing and snowboarding burns a ton of fat and calories – about 500 an hour
compared to 50 playing unhealthy Halo on the couch.
Tell your teenage boy that snow bunny hunting on the slopes is far more
interesting than playing another version of Deer Hunter. With a little on
snow practice, you can be a terrain park hero rather than a “guitar hero”
zero. Remind your offspring that the video games will still be there when
they get home, but the on-snow show only takes place for a few winter
months.
Point out that skiing or snowboarding with friends is far more fun than
flicking inane comments back and forth on
facebook. Imagine
launching jumps, laughing, and learning a new sport with your buddies. And
you can have real time conversations on the five minute chairlift rides.
What a social networking concept!
Don’t be above bribery when it comes to your favorite sport. My husband and
I have stooped to promising a “drive thru for doughnuts” to get the gang in
the car on Saturday morning.
Nothing says “let’s go skiing” to a fashion conscience teen like a
new ski
or snowboard outfit – so let them pick a parka and pants that they’re
passionate about. Our daughter gets stoked about sporting new threads each
season.
If all else fails to pique their interest in a trip to the peaks, tell them
they can “chill” in the lodge where there’s WiFi. True enough, you can get
wireless with a view of the slopes at many base lodges. Hopefully once
seated in the crowded base lodge, your teen will find the temptation to get
out on skis or a snowboard is stronger than the internet signal.
