Let’s face it, fourth grade is not the typical kid’s ideal stage of life. Bullying, homework, fear of upcoming orthodontia – all careening at a kid full force right about that time. One state (will the great state of NY please stand and take a bow) has sweetened the pot for these tortured pretweeners — free skiing!

That’s right, any 4th grader from across the country can pop on over to New York and ski free with a paying adult at a bazillion different ski spots.

For those of us with the coordination of a fourth grader (at least that’s when I remember going through my suddenly-too-long-limbed stage of doing daily faceplants while walking across a perfectly smooth, unobstructed floor), or those flatland-locked past the stage of fearlessness folks such as myself, we’ve got two more weekends to take advantage of another killer discount program to Learn a Snow Sport (BOGO or BOGHO depending on resort).

We gave the program at Hunter a whirl.  Bigtime “thumbs up” from super picky kid critic. Typically, I wave a breathless goodbye to kiddo in the kidcamp and make a quick retreat to the spa and try Jacuzzi and trashy magazine therapy to dissolve the vision of the time I went to retrieve him from his very first time at such a camp only to see him depart a chairlift (!) and ski down the mountain…backward. Laughing hysterically the whole way.

This time was different. I blew a good luck kiss, bikini/mag bag in one hand only to have him call wistfully across the room “Maybe when I’m all grown up I can teach you how to do it so I won’t always have to ski by myself.”

Seeing how the chlorine Jacuzzi jets might have stung, what with the dagger of guilt now hanging out of my heart, I sighed and headed for the Learning Center for beginner lessons. They were awesome. No giggles, despite my demanding reassurance a dozen or so times, help to get to the bathroom in the boots, trying to put the skis on backwards and asking whether one might wear two helmets at once, just in case.

Standing on the top of a gentle slope, I had that moment of fear, the paralyzing one, the moment where you either bail or suck it up. And boy, did I want to bail. I hear my shaky voice squeak, “Um – I don’t know if this is really for me…” Then I hear, “Mama! You’re doing it!” and see my shocked child sail overhead on the blue trail chairlift, pointing me out proudly to his instructor. I closed my eyes and…I didn’t die.

I didn’t die and after a shaky run or two, I really loved the feeling. But even better was the feeling of overcoming fear. We just don’t get that many chances to do that with new things as grown ups. I highly recommend it.

For those of you born with skis on, well, that’s a disturbing phrase in itself – but, I hate you. But even you get a cool deal at NY ski spots this season – these Long Weekend specials give the third night and day of skiing free.

January 21st, 2009 | by Sascha Zuger Comment