Day 11 - better put a ring on it

Most of the Americans headed back home today so Snow School was pretty quiet.  We only had 15 kids signed up for snowboarding.  It was pouring rain during sign-in and I was dreading spending a day in the rain.  I was assigned Lil Rippers and although four were signed up, only two showed before 9am.

I was pleasantly surprised when I walked off the gondola and found partly sunny skies at mid-station.  I was also pretty excited with my Rippers as both of them had been in lessons previously and I knew they didn't require a lot of "babysitting".  We spent a good half hour working on the Magic Carpet when another Instructor brought up the two Rippers who showed up late.  I was told both had taken lessons before and I shuttered at the thought of having four kids under the age of six!!  It didn't take me long to figure the two kids who were late couldn't do a thing (on a snowboard or for themselves), including putting on their bindings or taking them off.  They were, as we call it, ...... muppets!  which meant I was going to keep my girls who could ride and another Instructor would be taking the two who couldn't ride.  Sweet!

7cm of wet snow fell overnight giving us a base of 30 inches (76cm).  Last year at this time, we had double the base ... and last year wasn't a very good snow year!  It's not looking good for this year at all!!

My day was as expected with a couple of Lil Rippers.  It included some sideslipping, some colouring, lunch, and even some jungle gym time.  Nothing exciting and nothing excruciating.  

I would like to note:  if you are a parent with kids under the age of seven, and you do everything for your child - I'd like you to know that you are NOT helping out your kid by not teaching them how to do things for themselves.  !!!!