I Made Them Do It

     If you’ve ever read my blog before then you know how much I love to go cross-country skiing.  When the kids were very little we would haul them behind us in a pulk sled but that was alot of work.  After they could walk we bought them those cheap little plastic skis to try but they really didn’t work well at all.  I guess it wasn’t until last year that I attempted to bring Abby skiing with me again. 

     I guess I just thought she wouldn’t have any trouble cross-country skiing.  She had been downhill skiing before and is fairly athletic so it surprised me when she fell down repeatedly.  It wasn’t so bad that she would fall down but she couldn’t get herself up.  The day I took her my patience meter must have been empty because it wasn’t a fun day for either of us.

     This year I have wanted to take her and Josh cross-country skiing.  She has put up a major fuss each time I suggest it and I haven’t wanted to fight so she has gotten her way.  Today I told myself I didn’t care how upset she got she was going to go cross-country skiing with me. 

     My daughter is a very strong-willed eleven year old.  And after she played a game of hide and seek with me she reluctantly got into the backseat of the car.  This was an act of defiance because she loves to sit in the front seat but she had to show me just how mad she was at me.

     When we got to Gunflint Pines and I told Josh he was going cross-country skiing with us he was just as thrilled as Abby had been.  Jaret from Gunflint Pines decided to come with us or I don’t know if I would have been able to get both kids into the car at the same time to get to the trailhead.

     It was a beautiful day for a ski and I chose Amperage Run so there weren’t many hills.  Both of the kids did just fine and only fell a couple of times.  There were no tears, no shouts and they both admitted it wasn’t that bad. 

     I am so happy I made them come skiing with me because I think they both actually enjoyed it.  We spent time in the great outdoors, got exercise and I’m pretty sure they both gained confidence in learning how to do something new.  I’m thrilled and I think I will be able to get them to come with me again without quite as much drama as we experienced today, at least I hope so!