As your Facebook feed fills with images of sun drenched kids on sandy beaches you are probably thinking about your own summer vacations or maybe getting ideas for next year. But what about winter ski vacations? I’ve finally gone through the stacks of projects both my preschooler and first grader came home with in June (yes, I know I’m a bit behind on this). What hit me going through the various assignments was the impact our winter ski vacations in Vermont had on both kids. Summer is clearly a popular time for most families to plan their family vacations and commit their budget and time to. But perhaps outdoor winter vacations ought to be considered just as much, as they can have a serious and positive effect on kids, mom and dad.
Last winter was the first season our kids skied and we had the opportunity to visit several resorts in Vermont. The kids fell in love with skiing and talked about it at home a lot. They couldn’t wait to go back. But then I saw my daughter’s writing assignment from early January – “I’m lucky because I get to go skiing” – I was so proud, and delightfully surprised. Then came a shamrock from March with a picture of her skiing, then the Mother’s Day card she made in class thanking me for taking her skiing. At that point she hadn’t skied in about two months but it was still the first thing she thought to include in the card. Both kids had other pictures of themselves on skis and other references to our trips in their piles of projects and I was pleasantly surprised that our ski weekends in Vermont had such a prolonged impact on their little minds.
Winters in the northeast can be long and what better way to get through them than to get your family outside and enjoying the season. If you’re like me and always planning another getaway, look closer to home and embrace winter this year. Most New Englanders are only a few hours drive from Vermont and some of the best skiing and family friendly resorts in the world. With over 30 alpine and nordic resorts to chose from, you will most certainly find a place that meets your family’s interest and budget. So dedicate some vacation time to winter this year and get your family outdoors. Learning to ski in Vermont this season had an amazing impact on my kids that I’m still seeing during these balmy summer days. See how it can impact your family in a wonderful way!
Adrienne Veglia Mazeau is the mom of two school age children, and loves taking them on adventures with her attractively geeky archaeologist husband. She writes about balancing a demanding full time career and family travel both close to her home in Upstate New York and beyond.
Although currently on a hiatus from blogging, her writing strives to inspire others balancing family and demanding careers to carve out time to travel together. Adrienne began skiing at age 12, but lost touch with one of her favorite pastimes when her career and family demanded much of her time. Now many years later, she is back on the slopes again and teaching her children to embrace winter and develop a love of skiing.