I think it takes everyone a few runs to get back into the groove of things. My little 6 year old was terribly frustrated last weekend because she didn’t feel like she had her legs under her. When she took a jump, fell and zoomed into the trees she wasn’t seriously hurt but she was angry and frustrated. She started to question the skills she thought she’d remembered from previous season as if she’d just made that all up in her head.

I spent a good portion of our lift time explaining that when you grow 2 ½ inches, get new skis and new boots there is a certain amount of re-learning that has to happen. You have to let go the idea that your brain does the skiing and let your body find the muscle memory that has lain dormant over the long summer. If allowed, your body will make the necessary adjustments for the bodily changes it has experienced and the new equipment – but it takes a few runs.

It is important to ease into things and just enjoy the ride. Give your body time to figure it all out before your brain starts writing checks your body isn’t ready to cash.

Children are naturals at letting their bodies override their brains and we can learn a lot from them. I was amazed at how much better Anna was this weekend and she was thrilled by the changes as well. By the end of the day she was over in the park like last year – what she had finally managed to do at the end of last year she was able to do by the second day this year simply because she allowed herself the time to find her groove.