Need sum Advice!!!!!

Meowsy · Posted: Jun 08, 2004 5:27 am Post subject: Need sum Advice!!!!!

Any advice for how to teach my prissy little 9 year old how to ride?

Don't get me wrong!She is an awesome girl ~ she is a cheerleader, comp. wiz kid, and she plays the guitar but I can't get her in the water on a board.
Rolling Eyes

She wants to do it but she just chickens out!

I just got her a new vest she wanted and everthing~a body glove that cost me $70 ~ with the promised from her that she would do it but she just whimps out!

I think she thinks some thing is gonna get her out in the water when she is too far away from the boat!

I don't know what to do ~ Please give advice! Question

darty · Addict Joined: 18 Mar 2003 Posts: 522 City: Lexington

how big is she? maybe you could start her off with a tip of the board on the platform & go just barely fast enough for her to stay on top of the water and slowly let her out...like surfing distance or something....then maybe she'd get a feel for it and would want to try it on a longer line...

Swass · Guest

Stop. Wait until she's ready.

rybassett17 · Addict Joined: 11 May 2004 Posts: 562 City: Cadillac

I definatly agree with swasss .... I know its frustrating but you have tyo wait until she is comfortable because if you force her into the water she may end up hating it....l thats what my parents did to my lil brother... and now he doesn't even like going out in the boat

Meowsy · Posted: Jun 08, 2004 6:41 am Post subject:

She wants to do it tho! She just gets scared!

darty~I like the surfing suggestion~ I think she will like that! Thanks guys Colorful

vette74 · Posted: Jun 08, 2004 6:52 am Post subject:

Get in the water with her that way she is not back there by herself. Float in the water next to her and coach her or ride doubles.

Or you can find another girl her age that already rides or wants to ride herself.

MinnDizzyG · Posted: Jun 08, 2004 7:00 am Post subject:

Meowsy -
It's a tough problem. Frankly, with darty's solution I'd be a little nervous about the prop at first, but maybe I just don't understand the description very well, or maybe I'm just a paranoid parent. Embarassed

Another similar method would be to use a ski boom - how they sometimes teach kids to slalom and/or barefoot. Then she's right next to the boat the whole time.

I do have to agree with swass and rybassett17 that it's definitely best if she overcomes her fear on her own. Always offer her a ride - especially after you or other people have been riding. But don't ever tell her that she has to ride.

EDIT: vette74 has two other great ideas.

Hey, good luck - I hope she gets out there and loves it. Tell her all of us on here can't wait to see pics of her up & carving and having fun! Very Happy

pureliquid · Posted: Jun 08, 2004 7:07 am Post subject:

Meowsy - vette74's idea is a good one. A friend of mine taught his 9 year old daughter by throwing on a life jacket and sitting in the water next to her, making sure her body and board were in the correct position. She is probably small enough that she will just pop right out of the water. Good Luck!!

Meowsy · Posted: Jun 08, 2004 7:11 am Post subject:

I am not worried abt the prop b/c we usually go out in my friends boat~a ski nautique and the prop not an issue!

OK we are gonna do this! And I will take plenty of pics!

My board is perfect for her so she should do well after she gets over her fear! Colorful

Wakebrad · Ladies Man Joined: 11 Dec 2003 Posts: 12257 City: Dallas

You could do what my uncle did. He forced all of his kids to learn. Kicking and screaming he made them learn how to waterski. They hated him for that day and now they all love to ski and the water and thanked him for making them. Now most of them have their own boats.

boarditup · Addict Joined: 01 Dec 2003 Posts: 731 City: Allendale, MI

I use a barefoot boom. It makes it real easy and they are within touching distance from the observer's seat. A few times on the boom, you transition to a 5' handle and bridle section. A few times on the bridle, and they want to go long line.

I agree with SWASS. Let them set the tone. Find out what they want. Provide only positive encouragement. Make the time in the boat fun.

Good Luck.

Bambamski · Posted: Jun 08, 2004 9:24 am Post subject:

Start her out on a knee board. She can lie down and ride it on her belly for a while until she gets use to being behing the boat. Don't strap her in though. You only have to go about 7-10 mph at first. She'll learn to let go of the rope when she wants to quit, wiping out doesn't hurt, and the life jacket will keep her afloat. Did that with my daughter 3-4 years ago and she just started boarding last year. She's 8 now.

I agree with Swass, don't force her or she'll never try. Also try her on a wakeskate. She'll never get up and ride right away, however she'll get the getting up motion and nothing will be strapped to her feet to freak her out. Make it fun!

Meowsy · Posted: Jun 08, 2004 9:38 am Post subject:

Thanks guys!!!!!!

Colorful

darty · Addict Joined: 18 Mar 2003 Posts: 522 City: Lexington

A boom is definitly a good idea...I've taught a bunch of people how to ski (& board) like that. The thing with the platform is that you dont really have to be going very fast. I would actually recommend that you sit on the back of the boat & keep one foot on top of the board to keep the nose just there on the platform, & adjust the rope length so that it is tight w/ her right there. W/ you on the back you won't have to worry about her falling into the boat... Just have her stand there & get her in a comfortable body position....that way she will at least have an understanding of what its like when she gets on top of the water...then you can move from there w/ a longer rope...maybe surfing length or a bit longer...then ease it on out...

I'm not a parent or anything...but this is how I learned to waterski when I was REALLY young...I think it's good because it lets you be right there--it adds the security for her so she'll be comfy later when she does it by herself.

good luck, & like everyone says, if she decides she's not into it, just let her go @ her own pace

Millertyme · Posted: Jun 08, 2004 10:20 am Post subject:

Dont wait till they are ready? Throw thier azz in and make them do it. I did this to my son when he was 4. Cried the whole tyme. Told him if he didnt get up he couldnt get back in the boat. (mean I know) He loves me for making him do it now. He is now 6 and shredding. Catching air and surface tricks.

Meowsy · Posted: Jun 08, 2004 10:34 am Post subject:

Well that IMO is an approach that I would like to take ~ cause that's just me mean!!!!! But she is a whinniy little thing and stubborn ~ and my friends all yell at mr for being mean cause she pulls out the baby stuff on them!

ercobrac · Outlaw Joined: 20 Jun 2003 Posts: 215

Let her go on her own time. My 12 year old got up at the end of last season after waiting all summer. A couple of weeks ago, she face planted and somehow got the rope/handle wrapped around one of her legs and got drug through the water a bit before the boat came to a stop. Thought it broke her leg at first but only rope burns. Anyway, now she doesn't want to take the board with us when we go to the lake. Not gonna force her, just hope that she comes around in due time. Afraid if I try to force her before she is ready she will never try again. Anyway, just don't rush it. My 7 year old son jump ramps on his bike but won't even try it either. Go figure. Good luck.

Meowsy · Posted: Jun 08, 2004 11:37 am Post subject:

Well the thing with her is she likes to act like a baby in front of ppl! Like she begged for the new life jacket and then acted like she was scared to get in the water. ~ Just b/c other ppl were there watching and she could get attention! As soon as I had a talk with my friends and told them to just ignore her whinning she cannon~balled into the water. So yes in her own time and everything but not just so she can be babied and get attention!

chavez · RIP MHL 04/25/1958 - 01/11/2006

Millertyme, haha, that's awesome... just throw their stuff in the water and make them do it!

J/K!!!

Why not get out there in a tube next to her?

Stephan · Guest

Sometimes kids get scared getting on airplanes...you know what the prescribed remedy for that is right? A little NyQuil and before they know it ...WAKEBOARDING!!! Twisted Evil

Millertyme · Posted: Jun 08, 2004 3:44 pm Post subject:

We did get into the water with them when they first started. I think it was at Berryessa a few years ago. Still remember my wife sitting out there in the water holding a flag up so no one ran her over. But they do lov it now. Hard to get any riding tyme in my own boat anymore. Maybe I should have waited till they were ready?

_Vishnook_ · Outlaw Joined: 20 Feb 2004 Posts: 182 City: Wauwatosa

Tell her that the wakemonster will come and make her wakeboard if she doesnt. Twisted Evil

Swass · Guest

Alan C · Soul Rider Joined: 26 Jan 2004 Posts: 329 City: Calgary

ya just get in the water with her and talk her through it all... doubles would be an even better idea cause then if she falls you can let go and be there with her all the time... if she still wont go.. then just wait a while and just ask every now and then... dont constantly pester her tho.. that just gets anoying... trust me... my parents wated to get me to water ski when i was young and they would just constantly ask... and i wouldnt go just because they asked so much...i ended up never skiing and went straight to wakeboarding when i found out about it and thought i was ready to do it!!!

forwaken · Addict Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 635 City: Turlock, CA

My 5 year old daughter is the same way. I am trying to wait until she is ready. All last year she would get suited up and into her board and when I started to set her down in the water she would start to freak out. I got a little fustrated, but I would just let her do her thing. I have always told myself that I wasn't going to "push" anything on to my kids. I will "introduce" things that I like and then let them decide if they want to do it. After a while I began asking her before we went out if she wanted to ride today or not to help with bringing unneeded crap on the boat and she was really honest and would just tell me not today. Well finally about a month ago she finally said yes and this is what we got..........

Made me the proudest Dad out there and the fact that I knew she was enjoying it herself made it all that much better.

Meowsy · Posted: Jun 09, 2004 5:52 am Post subject:

That is great!!!! I love the pics! Thanks! She is adorable!

Swass · Guest

My oldest is five, too. I CAN'T WAIT for him to ask, but, until then, I'm not even going to mention it. If he wants to try it, he'll ask. I'll keep draggin' the flippin' tube with us until then.

Ski-Missouri-in-a-Supreme · Newbie Joined: 13 May 2004 Posts: 46

forwaken: nice pics.....I also have been waiting for my 10 and 8 year old girls to try boarding. They have finally got off the tube and onto a kneeboard after a LONG time....They love the water,but I have never and will never push them into anything...They asked to go from the tube to the kneeboard,and hopefully will ask to step up to the board...but until then, I just love being a dad and watching! I do get to enjoy my 15 yr old son schred water on a board, and myself when he will get off the board and drive...

Millertyme · Posted: Jun 09, 2004 7:05 am Post subject:

Come on you guys have to push your kids a little bit? Dont get me wrong I didnt throw them in the water the first time we went out. I made them do a little more every time we were out there. Cuz at first they were affraid to just get in the water . Once we got past that. I had them get in to deep water off of the boat with jackets on. Then we would have them put on the board in the water and have them hold the rope. We would pull on the rope by hand and let them get a feel for it. And when it came time to be pulled by the boat, Yeah they were scared, but who isnt the first time you try something new. We board almost every weekend and sitting in the boat complaining there was nothing to do and wanting to go back to shore and play wasnt cutting it in my family. You can tell when your kids are ready. As a parent its your job to help them along just like school, sports , or anything else in life.

Swass · Guest

"I made them...." I'd say that's where our philosophies differ. I'm not going to make my son do anything that's supposed to be FUN. What's the point in that?

"As a parent its your job to help them along just like school, sports , or anything else in life." Quite true - I just don't think making my son participate in a sport that, for whatever reason, he's not interested in trying is helping him with anything...except maybe to reinforce a phobia or two.

I understand where you're coming from, and I think we ultimately want to acheive the same thing (i.e., to see our kids enjoy the same sport we enjoy), but we have different ways of going about it.

Broccoli B · Posted: Jun 09, 2004 7:30 am Post subject:

she is 9, how big is she? When i was younger, i would ride on skis between my dads legs. My dad would wear the ski's and i would just stand on top of them and hold on to his legs. It was great!

Put some rubber soled shoes on her for traction. Put your board on, hop in the warer and have her stand between your legs. It will just take a few times to get her doing it on her own.

Mazzam01 · Soul Rider Joined: 01 Apr 2004 Posts: 296

Brocolli B, i have seen that done before as well. This guy used to have his daughter stand on the board between his legs. Got her used to going round and when thewy came off got her used to going into the water and that. Excellant idea! Would say you would need a pretty consistent rider to take her though.

MinnDizzyG · Posted: Jun 09, 2004 7:59 am Post subject:

swass and Millertyme -

Interesting debate you two are the principals on. I will have to admit I would tend to agree with swass, because Millertyme you've used the word "made". My parents - ok my mother - bugged me and bugged me until I tried out for one season on the swimming team. I ended up with a 5 year career, 2 captainships, and a team state championship trophy. Am I glad she bugged me about it? I wasn't then but I am now. However, I am also glad they did not force me to do it. It was always my choice. Same with my dad taking me hunting, or teaching me to waterski, or any number of other things. They were my choices; I didn't continue with all of them, and that disappointed him in some ways, but as long as I tried it once he was fine with it.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is push, persuade, offer choices. Don't force or coerce. I have a strong belief that our children should learn the value of pursuing excellence; they will not learn that by standing on the sideline. But on the other hand, they won't learn the real reason why they are working hard at becoming excellent at something if they're just waiting for the season to end because Mom or Dad forced them into it.

I admit, not my most articulate post... Embarassed

hope I'm getting my point across...

Leggester · Posted: Jun 09, 2004 8:12 am Post subject:

Hmmm, yes...

Sounds like there are more issues than wake boarding with the 9 year old. If she's still pulling the baby act and getting away with it, you'll need to stop that first.

Bug the hell ouut of your kids if you want. That's fine. But I agree that a child really shouldn't be forced into it.

Signed,
Tube Towing Dad.

Tyler~Moore · Posted: Jun 09, 2004 9:00 am Post subject:

My dad never pushed me. Everytime he would ask if i wanted to, but never told me i should or said how fun it was. I loved to kneeboard and i was happy with it. On day i saw a guy do a flip on a wakeboard. I asked my dad what he was on, He said a wakeboard. I never kneeboarding again. Im glad my dad always made it an option for me, made it easy for me to ask. Im also glad he never pushed me to do it. So make it known its ok for them to do, but donr force it...