In this episode of the Skiing with Kids podcast, Jessica, a ski instructor and mom of five, explains that the first hour on the mountain determines about 80% of a ski day’s success for kids of all levels.

She describes how rushed, chaotic mornings in the parking lot and lodge—stress, missing gear, cold kids, bathroom needs, and pressure to “get money’s worth”—overload a child’s nervous system and lead to resistance, defensive skiing, and meltdowns.

She emphasizes that kids ski with their nervous system: calm enables learning and confidence, while overload starts before the first run. Her framework includes a “parking lot energy check,” a “gear comfort audit,” and an intentional warmup with a controlled first run that builds early success and positive momentum.

She shares examples with her youngest easing in through play and older kids needing warmups to avoid mistakes, and talks about how her course First Tracks: A Parent's Guide to Teaching Kids to Ski can be a great resource for parents who want more details on how to set their family up for ski day success.

00:00 Welcome to the Show

00:25 Why the First Hour Matters

02:27 How Parents Create Pressure

03:49 Kids Nervous System Basics

06:04 Warmup Runs That Work

09:44 First Hour Three Steps

11:40 Momentum and Mindset

13:09 Family Story and Lessons

15:28 Slow Starts Win

16:05 Final Takeaways and Next Steps

Skiing with Kids is hosted by Jessica Averett, a ski instructor and mom of five who has spent more than 20 years helping kids learn to ski. This podcast helps parents create calmer, happier ski days by focusing on confidence, connection, and simple strategies that actually work with kids on the mountain. She's the founder of First Tracks: A Parent's Guide to Teaching Kids to Ski, a course that walks parents through everything they need to know to skip overpriced ski school and confidently teach their own kids to ski.

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You can find me on Instagram @theadventuretravelfam
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