Sometimes, you just need to go splat

My sons have become very strong skiers with more than a little daredevil in them.  It comes naturally - both my husband and I love to ski aggressively and we invest in lessons for the kids.  The boys have reached the point where we can spend a day skiing with them and do some challenging runs that are fun for everyone.  And the boys are doing them faster and faster.  In fact, they didn't really realize the ramifications of going fast. Until this past weekend...

We had the opportunity to let the boys experience some natural consequences to succumbing to adrenaline.  Benjamin saw a dip and rise that he wanted to try instead of a catwalk.  I said okay - and when he didn't make the rise, he had to side step his way up. 

That wasn't a good idea. He says as he side steps.  

Nope.

And on the last run of the day, skiing an expert run, Benjamin took off like a speed demon.  As I watched, I anticipated that he was going too fast and was going to lose control of his skis coming into an uphill area.  It was a safe area of the mountain in that other people weren't clustered around. And the contour of the hill was going to slow his fall.  And as he skied down and up, his skis slipped forward and he toppled backwards.  Splat. Laying on his back on the side of the slope, I asked if he was okay.  Yup.

I was going too fast.

Yup.  Only one way to learn that.

And then Taylor takes off and he gets going too fast as well.  He splats forward and howls over hurting his arm.  Attracted a bit of a crowd until he got up, shook it off, and skied.  

I was going too fast.

Yup.

And now, without injury to themselves or anyone else, they've learned that when you go too fast and get out of control, you're likely to fall and get hurt (if not physically, then your ego takes a licking). Doesn't really matter how many times we slow them down or warn them - only experience teaches this lesson. Hopefully it sticks.  Going splat at my age really hurts!