Dear Dr. Ski, I will shortly be bringing my child skiing for the first time and wondered if you had any advice regarding what age it is okay to start the little one on Skis.?
My wife and I are both good skiers and have high hopes for our munchkin. So we are keen to start her early. I have heard that 3 years of age is a good age to start. We have some friends who didn't start teaching their kids until they were older (five or six) and those children are rubbish, so that's obviously not a good idea.
I'm thinking, the earlier the better and am keen for my daughter to start as early as possible. What is your advice?
PS, she will be 6 weeks old when we arrive, but hopefully by then she will be able to support her own head.
Yours sincerely
Mr & Mrs Smallholder

Dear Smallholders

Firstly let me apologise for the delay in replying, it's just this past week has given me the opportunity to make a few turns with a number of under 18's of varying standard and whilst it proved quite tricky to assess how each had progressed from about 100 metres astern which was about as close as I got at the speed they were travelling, I have come to the conclusion that the answer to your enquiry lies with the parents rather than the top heavy tot.
As a rough rule of thumb I would estimate that you can put the skids under them as early as you like but be prepared for the fact that as they get stronger the pleasure you get skiing with them will be inversely proportional to the death defying speeds they achieve in almost any skiing conditions.
Bearing this in mind, I would suggest 25 as a good age to get them started on the slopes, this has two massive benefits, firstly you will have saved a sum equivalent to GDP of a small country required to clothe and equip them during the 'growing' years, not to mention the gallons of hot chocolate and mountains of chips and pizza you won't have to fund. Secondly you will have the pleasure of watching them flounder around in the snow plough for the first couple of holidays as you and the wife did.
Whatever you decide one thing is a given, if they learn by skiing behind their parents as your friend's children clearly did, they will end up looking like a French ballerina handing out flowers, not to be recommended in my book.

Hope that helps

Dr Ski

 PS - I understand you can still pick up a pair of 2 metre racing skis on Ebay for next to no money, ideal for junior to learn on - DS