Episode Summary

If you've ever stood on a bunny slope repeating "make a pizza!" while your kid stares at you blankly, this episode is going to change your next ski day. Jessica breaks down the Edgie Wedgie — a $12 ski tip connector that she's carried in her jacket pocket for 17 years — and explains exactly why it's one of the most effective tools for skiing with kids under six. Every ski parent needs to hear this before their next trip to the mountain.

What You'll Learn

• What an Edgie Wedgie actually is and how it works to teach kids to ski faster and with less frustration
• Why "spread your legs" works better than "make a pizza" when children learning to ski are just starting out
• The simple tension trick that tells you exactly when to take it off — one of the most practical family skiing tips in this episode
• Who should (and shouldn't) use one, and why it's only recommended for kids six and under
• What to avoid when buying a ski tip connector — and the one mistake that permanently damaged a pair of skis

Key Takeaway

"You've taken an abstract concept they couldn't figure out and turned it into a physical action they already know how to do."

About Your Host

Jessica Averett is a PSIA-certified ski instructor with over 20 years of experience teaching kids ski lessons to hundreds of children — and to all five of her own kids, most of whom were skiing before age three. She shares everything she knows about how to ski with kids at skiingkid.com.

Resources & Links

• 🎿 Ready to stop guessing and start skiing with a real plan? Check out First Tracks: A Parent's Guide to Teaching Kids to Ski — Jessica's course built specifically for parents.
• 📖 Read the full Edgie Wedgie guide on her website Skiingkid.com

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.

Enjoying the Podcast?

Follow Skiing with Kids so you never miss an episode.

More Skiing with Kids Resources

For more tips, gear reviews, and ski parenting advice visit Skiing Kids
You can find me on Instagram @theadventuretravelfam
.

Free Guide for Ski Parents

Want to avoid the biggest mistakes most parents make when teaching their kids to ski?
Download the free guide:

The Most Common Mistakes Ski Parents Make (and How to Fix Them)
https://skiiingkids.myflodesk.com/ffy45squub
This quick guide will help you avoid the common ski day meltdowns and create a much smoother experience for your kids on the mountain.

...

If you've been skiing with kids in the middle of winter and wondering why it feels so hard, this episode is going to change how you plan your ski season. Jessica breaks down exactly why spring is the single best time of year for a ski parent to take their family to the mountain — and what you need to do differently to make the most of it.

What You'll Learn

• Why spring conditions — softer snow, warmer temps, and smaller crowds — make it dramatically easier to teach kids to ski and build real confidence on the mountain
• The one timing mistake most families make on spring ski days (and the simple fix that transforms how children learning to ski experience their first runs)
• How to layer your kids for fluctuating spring temps so they stay comfortable all day — because a cold, wet kid is a done kid
• The family skiing tips that turn a regular ski day into a core memory: tailgate lunches, costumes, resort events, and why they matter more than extra vertical feet
• Why getting a spring wax and following the sun are two of the most overlooked how to ski with kids strategies that actually affect how your kids feel on their skis

Learn More

Learn more about spring skiing on this article, and get some get some recommendations for great spring skiing resorts for families all on skiingkid.com

Key Takeaway

"Enjoyment is what creates skiers for life. The mountain in March — with your kid in a cape, eating soup out of a thermos, smiling in the sunshine after their best run of the season? That's what all of this is for."

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.

Enjoying the Podcast?

Follow Skiing with Kids so you never miss an episode.

More Skiing with Kids Resources

For more tips, gear reviews, and ski parenting advice visit Skiing Kids
You can find me on Instagram @theadventuretravelfam
.

Free Guide for Ski Parents

Want to avoid the biggest mistakes most parents make when teaching their kids to ski?
Download the free guide:

The Most Common Mistakes Ski Parents Make (and How to Fix Them)
https://skiiingkids.myflodesk.com/ffy45squub
This quick guide will help you avoid the common ski day meltdowns and create a much smoother experience for your kids on the mountain.

...

In this episode of Skiing with Kids, your host Jessica Averett talks all about altitude sickness and how it can cause problems on your family ski trip. As a ski instructor and mom of five, she explains how altitude sickness can derail a ski day for kids and adults, sharing some personal stories and expert advice.

Altitude sickness happens when you ascend too high too fast and reviews symptoms from mild (headache, fatigue, lightheadedness, loss of appetite) to moderate (nausea, vomiting) to severe (shortness of breath, confusion, unconsciousness), stressing that any symptoms mean you should slow down and get to lower elevation. She notes fitness doesn’t prevent it and highlights higher risk for young kids and older adults, with kids often showing irritability, poor appetite, sleep trouble, or vomiting. Prevention includes an acclimation day, aggressive hydration and electrolytes, limiting alcohol early, eating small frequent meals, and checking medications with a doctor; treatment is descending, hydrating, resting, and calling ski patrol for severe signs.

00:00 Welcome to the Show

00:24 Altitude Sickness Story

02:37 What It Is and Symptoms

03:54 Who Is Most at Risk

05:28 Kids and Nervous System

06:35 Prevention Steps

10:38 What to Do If It Hits

12:37 Common Mistakes and Planning

14:06 Key Takeaways and Wrap

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.

Enjoying the Podcast?

Follow Skiing with Kids so you never miss an episode.

More Skiing with Kids Resources

For more tips, gear reviews, and ski parenting advice visit Skiing Kids
You can find me on Instagram @theadventuretravelfam
.

Free Guide for Ski Parents

Want to avoid the biggest mistakes most parents make when teaching their kids to ski?
Download the free guide:

The Most Common Mistakes Ski Parents Make (and How to Fix Them)
https://skiiingkids.myflodesk.com/ffy45squub
This quick guide will help you avoid the common ski day meltdowns and create a much smoother experience for your kids on the mountain.

...

In this eopisde, your host Jessica Averett, a ski instructor and mom of five explains how parents can get more value from expensive kids’ ski school by asking the instructor targeted questions at pickup, despite the usual chaos.

She recommends politely waiting for a calmer moment and using the instructor’s insight about what clicked for the child, what shut them down, and what language and games worked.

The seven questions cover:

1. What the child did well
2. Where they need work and how a parent can help
3. The exact words/phrases used
4. What runs they skied and which to do or avoid next
5. What to practice to reach the next level and how to make it a game
6. What the child responded best to
7. What games were played and how they work.

She also urges parents to ski a couple runs with their child immediately after the lesson to reinforce learning and make the child the “expert.”

00:00 Ski School Sticker Shock

01:35 What You Miss at Pickup

02:59 Surviving Pickup Chaos

05:00 Question One Praise That Sticks

06:59 Question Two How to Help

08:51 Question Three Magic Words

10:49 Question Four Best Runs

12:23 Question Five Practice Games

13:39 Question Six Learning Style

15:09 Question Seven Steal Their Games

17:26 Bonus Two Runs Together

19:55 Why Parents Skip This

21:41 Quick Recap and Sendoff

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.

Enjoying the Podcast?

Follow Skiing with Kids so you never miss an episode.

More Skiing with Kids Resources

For more tips, gear reviews, and ski parenting advice visit Skiing Kids
You can find me on Instagram @theadventuretravelfam
.

Free Guide for Ski Parents

Want to avoid the biggest mistakes most parents make when teaching their kids to ski?
Download the free guide:

The Most Common Mistakes Ski Parents Make (and How to Fix Them)
https://skiiingkids.myflodesk.com/ffy45squub
This quick guide will help you avoid the common ski day meltdowns and create a much smoother experience for your kids on the mountain.

...

In this episode of Skiing with Kids, the host Jessica Averett, a ski instructor and mom of five, explains why ending a ski day before kids melt down is key to building a positive long-term relationship with skiing. She argues that parents’ desire to maximize runs can backfire because kids remember how skiing felt, especially the peak and the ending (the peak-end rule).

Warning signs of a depleted nervous system may show up as irritability, sudden complaints, sloppy turns, or unexpected falls, not just tiredness. She advises watching for a “window” before the meltdown, ending on an easy, confidence-building run, and leaving while kids still want more to foster internal motivation.

Jessica suggests teaching kids to rate their energy, setting realistic time expectations (with young kids needing frequent long breaks), and using the ride home as feedback to adjust future ski days.

Check out my course: First Tracks - A Parent's Guide to Teaching Kids to Ski

00:00 Welcome to Skiing With Kids

00:27 Why Stopping Matters

01:17 Value vs Kid Experience

02:56 Nervous System Budget

03:41 Spotting Limit Signals

04:28 Peak End Rule

06:03 End on a Win

08:39 Teach Self Regulation

09:15 Realistic Time and Breaks

10:20 Car Ride Debrief

11:55 Hard Lessons and Regret

14:11 Skiing Is a Long Game

15:13 Next Day Action Plan

16:25 Wrap Up and Share

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.

Enjoying the Podcast?

Follow Skiing with Kids so you never miss an episode.

More Skiing with Kids Resources

For more tips, gear reviews, and ski parenting advice visit Skiing Kids
You can find me on Instagram @theadventuretravelfam
.

Free Guide for Ski Parents

Want to avoid the biggest mistakes most parents make when teaching their kids to ski?
Download the free guide:

The Most Common Mistakes Ski Parents Make (and How to Fix Them)
https://skiiingkids.myflodesk.com/ffy45squub
This quick guide will help you avoid the common ski day meltdowns and create a much smoother experience for your kids on the mountain.

...

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.

Enjoying the Podcast?

Follow Skiing with Kids so you never miss an episode.

More Skiing with Kids Resources

For more tips, gear reviews, and ski parenting advice visit Skiing Kids
You can find me on Instagram @theadventuretravelfam
.

Free Guide for Ski Parents

Want to avoid the biggest mistakes most parents make when teaching their kids to ski?
Download the free guide:

The Most Common Mistakes Ski Parents Make (and How to Fix Them)
https://skiiingkids.myflodesk.com/ffy45squub
This quick guide will help you avoid the common ski day meltdowns and create a much smoother experience for your kids on the mountain.

...

In this episode of Skiing with Kids, your host Jessica Averett, a ski instructor and mom of five with 20 years’ experience, explains that kids’ ski fear is often accidentally created by well intended parents on the mountain.
This happens through co-regulation: children under about 10 read safety from parents’ tone, micro-expressions, and body tension more than words. She outlines five common fear-installers: using a panic voice, taking kids on terrain that’s too hard too soon (violating her “boring rule” that confidence builds when tasks feel easy and automatic), pushing for “one more run” (the peak-end rule), praising bravery instead of skill (which implies danger), and showing parental anxiety (which sets a regulation ceiling).

She recommends calm instructional tone, staying on easy terrain longer, stopping before fatigue, practicing falling, normalizing wobble as recovery, and detaching ego to play the long game, then mentions her parent-focused program, First Tracks.

Get First Tracks HERE

00:00 Welcome and Big Idea

01:15 Meltdown on the Slope

02:25 Kids Aren't Born Afraid

03:12 Co Regulation Explained

05:21 Panic Voice Problem

06:59 Terrain Too Hard Too Soon

08:29 One More Run Trap

09:41 Stop Praising Bravery

11:34 Your Anxiety Sets Ceiling

12:53 Architecture of Confidence

14:43 Beyond Skiing Check Signal

15:45 First Tracks Invitation

16:58 Final Reminder and Goodbye

In this episode of Skiing with Kids, host Jessica, the parent ski expert, explains why the first three days on skis can shape a child’s entire relationship with skiing. These early days aren’t really about technique. They’re about building comfort, confidence, and a sense that the mountain is a place where they belong.

In this episode, Jessica shares how pressure, complicated gear, and pushing kids too fast can trigger “threat mode,” leading to frustration and meltdowns. Instead, she walks through a simple approach for those first three days: keeping day one short, playful, and repetition-based; adding gentle control and independence on day two; and building basic turning and speed control on day three—all without rushing kids onto bigger terrain before they’re ready.

You’ll also hear practical strategies for introducing ski gear before your trip, using games to build confidence, and ending ski days while kids still want more. Jessica also introduces her step-by-step framework from First Tracks: A Parent’s Guide to Teaching Kids to Ski, designed to help parents create smoother ski days, build confident young skiers, and avoid the meltdowns that often come with learning on the mountain.

00:00 Welcome to Skiing With Kids

00:26 Why the First Three Days Matter

02:32 Kids Identity on the Mountain

03:34 Gear Comfort Before Day One

05:00 Day One Should Feel Easy

05:50 Build Confidence Not Perfection

07:11 Day by Day Plan and First Tracks

07:54 Momentum and Three Day Progression

10:23 Do You Need Ski School

12:29 Wrap Up and Final Encouragement