Ski School Success!

Will he be able to hear his instructor? Will she know how to get his helmet over his processors? Will he be able to hear well enough to socialize with the other kids? Will his instructor understand how to use the FM? Maybe we shouldn't put him in ski school this year.

Despite his mom being a Nervous Nelly, Culley did great at ski school! His first morning of ski school started with a hurried lesson on the FM system and instructions on how to manage his helmet and processors, while other cold and nervous parents waited their turn to check their kids in. The temperature was about five degrees and most of the kids, being in the 4-5 year-old range, were already crying. I knocked on Culley's helmet and said good-bye. He responded nonchalantly with a mittened wave and "Bye, Mom." Then I left. When I came back to get him, almost 6 hours later, a different instructor was with his group. He reported that Culley did great and gave me back the FM, it wasn't on. Hmm...

Culley turned 5!!

Given the fact that I was not confident at all that the first instructor really understood how to use the FM, I was sure the second one didn't get it at all. Hearing this, Culley's speech therapist in Denver, advised against using the FM at all at ski school. The next week, the first instructor was back and Culley's class had been down-sized to just three kids. One was a friend's kid so he already knew him quite well and the other was a girl with whom he became great friends...for the next three Sundays at least. His instructor said they were so cute, holding hands and hugging in the lodge, that people were taking pictures of them:)

By the end of the month, all of my questions were answered:
Q: Could he hear his instructor?
A: Well enough.

Q: Could she get his helmet on without knocking his processors off?
A: I guess they figured it out.

Q: Would he be able to hear well enough to socialize with the other kids?
A: He socialized well enough to get himself a girlfriend!

Q: Would his instructor understand how to use the FM system?
A: No, probably not. Turns out he didn't need it anyway.

Not only did Culley have a great time at ski school, he also learned to ski!!