AIBU to feel uncomfortable about my 5yo starting skiing?

[Comfortable8520]

I’d really appreciate some honest views as I’m quite torn on this.

I didn’t grow up in the UK, and where I’m from skiing wasn’t a social or normal activity at all. There wasn’t any sense that you might be missing out if you didn’t do it.

Because of that, I’ve always seen skiing as quite a risky sport. All of my friends who ski regularly have, at some point, broken something or had a fairly serious injury. So in my mind it feels like one of those things where, if you do it long enough, something will eventually happen.

Now my DC is 5, and I’m genuinely surprised by how many parents around us are already getting their children into skiing. Some started doing this every year, and I know school trips can become a thing later on too.

I feel really conflicted.

On one hand, I don’t feel comfortable actively encouraging a sport that I associate with a real risk of fractures over time. It feels like I’d be setting DC on a path that increases the chance of injury.

On the other hand, I don’t want DC to feel left out in the future if this is something many of their peers do and talk about.

So AIBU to feel like this and hesitate to get DC into skiing?

Would really appreciate hearing how others approached this.

D has skied since she was 3yo. Took to it like a duck to water. By 7yo she was doing black runs which I wouldn’t do inc the men’s World Cup run at Val d’isere. She enjoys it, never had an injury. Didn’t cross my mind to worry about her to be honest. She now spends a lot of time in Canada as her bf is Canadian and being able to ski has helped her fit in with his family I think. I do think in some circles it’s a good life skill.

DH is a skier, including racing and now instructing. (And a race official).

Hes seen more injuries off the slopes than on. And in 30 odd years off the sport, hes broken two fingers... SLEDGING.

It can be a dangerous sport... but most of those are risk takers... the Off Piste in an avalanche area, or drunk skiing, or doing jumps dtc.

I'm currently sitting in bed with my leg up, knee on strict orders to be fully weightless for 6 weeks after fracturing my knee skiing. First trip since I was a teenager. Despite the injury I will be going back when I am recovered. Yes injuries happen, but helmets are basically compulsory now and you're an idiot if you don't wear one. This means there are far fewer injuries for the average skier than there were years ago, knees, elbows and shoulders are the most common. Talking to the drs that have been treating me, it's kids that break bones (and heal well), adults that tear ligaments and don't fully recover. Those that skied since childhood often were the less likely to sustain serious injury unless their at the extreme end of the sport taking risks. Kids bounce to a degree and the skills become subconscious, you can overwrite reflexes that lead to falls more easily.

If you're not a ski family then it's something they can experience later in life if they choose. You don't have to be a family that jets off the the alps every season just to fit in. You need to go because you enjoy it, it is not cheap to go regularly (albeit, there are some really affordable options similar to week-in-the-sun package deal prices). It is a lot harder to learn as you age up, especially if they get into a fear age. So if you want to be a ski family, the earlier the better.
Honestly, accidents happen in any sport or activity or just being silly at home. It's your choice as a parent a) where you spend your money and b) what is the risk vs reward on experiences.

How bizarre that you feel such peer pressure to get him skiing. Ime it tends to be because the parents already ski rather than the family take it. I doubt your dc will miss out since most only go for a week a year any more than they need to go to Disney, surf, climb mountains, go sailing and son. Fwiw I’ve seen very few kids injured skiing, more so adults. It is a risky sport though, like trampolining, rugby, parcours, skateboarding, mountain biking, all of which can land kids in A and E.

Yes same, none of my friends go ski-ing!

I wish we could have afforded to take ours every year from 4/5. DH has had worse injuries from football and squash than from skiing. I don’t go fast enough to do anything worse than fall on my backside. The younger they start learning the more confident and secure they should be.

If you live in a country where it's part of the culture I would 💯 get your DC skiing if you have the opportunity. Otherwise they will curse you when they are older and the only one of their friends who can't! It's much easier to learn as a child.

Also bear in mind that most people from the UK who ski do it for 6 days a year whilst on holiday, often don't have great ski fitness/ push themselves beyond what they are capable of and are more likely to mix it with alcohol meaning they are far more likely to be injured than someone for whom it's a regular leisure activity.

Sorry I realised I completely misread the opening paragraph of the OP and you're not living somewhere where everyone skis! In which case I'd say don't feel any pressure to get them skiing for the sake of it, you can live a very happy life without ever going on a ski slope. BUT it is great fun and learning as a child is definitely the best way to do it (says someone who didn't start until an adult and looks wistfully at my friends who skied as kids and now see it as something as straightforward as riding a bike).

It was standard at my bog standard state school, because it was a few miles from the Cairngorm mountain ski resort!

It depends where you live. Skiing is not a weird and wonderful sport if you live in Scotland. A third of adults who live in Edinburgh can/do ski.

Also chiming in as a person who's skied since childhood and never had a serious injury. Nor has anyone else I know - certainly no more than the same scrapes we got from riding bikes etc.

Okay so it’s not a thing in ENGLAND unless you are the type to boast about little Tarquin going to a red brick uni etc

I have one child who started at 18 months and one who didn't go near a slope until age 14. Not a ski family at all but we're lucky enough to be friends with people in Austria who are so the kids can ski with them and I can stay happily in the warm!

Both kids are about the same level now as young adults so I wouldn't feel pressured about starting at 5 unless you want to.

Nowhere near as much as ski-ing though. I wouldn't want my child to play rugby either though, other than tag rugby. Some sports are definitely best left alone.

But there's also an environmental cost to ski-ing. If you live in Aviemore or Ballater, it's fine, it's on your doorstep, go.

But it's just stupid for people from elsewhere in the UK to do it. The travelling there and the damage to the slopes in the various resorts.

However, that doesn't bother anyone. After all, keeping up middle class appearances always wins over looking after the planet, see also driving SUVs.

Quite. I am a lawyer but am I a lawyer if I don't ski 😋

This is a very good point. If you live in Bavaria and go cross-country ski-ing you'll be fine.

But yes, the drunken Brits ski-ing are much more likely to do themselves an injury. Especially if they are arrogant enough to think they can ski in avalanche-risk areas.

It seems to be upper class in the UK, you NEED to ski to fit in. It’s one reason I’m glad to be working class/middle class as it’s never appealed to me 🤣

If you don't ski as a family there's no rush to have your child ski. We do, and love it, I learned on a dry slope and we live near a big dry slope so it's common for kids to learn here even if they never go to the mountains.
My son started skiing at 3.5 and his only broken limb was from football, in fact most of the boys at school have had a football injury, I don't know any of them have had one skiing. I think that adult knees are quite fragile skiing but kids are more flexible and lighter so it's not as common for kids to injure themselves skiing as it is adults.

Been skiing my whole life - I couldn’t tell you when I learned . Never had an injury and for context do mainly black runs.

Kids that age have a low centre of gravity and generally great balance so it’s the perfect time to learn.

I would feel more comfortable with this than scooters in a bike ramp. Etc

The sooner they start, the better and less injury-prone they’ll be. They can start at 2, 5 is positively late where I live. It’s really, really fun.

Doesn’t it depend on the child? I was clumsy and guarantee I would have ended up badly injured the first time I went!

Are you one of the posh ones, the Scottish ones or the Euro ones?

I'm 38, have been skiing since I was 11. Never broken a bone, never had any injuries except for some bruises. Recently went skiing and no one in our group of 10 friends (all late 30s) has ever broken anything skiing.

The sooner they start, the better. At age 5 they fall from a very small height.

My parents regretted only sending me to ski lessons at 11 (they were also nervous, even though they skiing themselves). The older you are, the harder it is and the more painful the bruises.

DS started at 4. No regrets. He’s now a much better skier than me or DH as an adult (who both started low teens).

Frankly he was better than us by the age of 12/13.

Person I think it’s actually safer as they learn properly at that young age and take instruction and you avoid them learning at an age when they think they know better (and are inclined to take more risks).

Well you are about a foot off the ground to fall. You are on a bunny slope with almost no incline. You are wearing a helmet and being trained by professionals so I actually don’t think you would have been injured at all.