Kidds and climbing

Post by **kirker** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 4:58 pm

Hi,

I've have a couple of kidds girl 4 and boy 10, they spend a lot of time climbing with my wife and freinds and I, but will not hardly make an attempt to get on the wall. I was wondering if there were any other parents out the with kidds that are actually getting up the rock we might be able to hook up with. I am hoping if they could see other kidds doing it they might be a little more motivated.

FYI Trad or sport

Top rope the kidds

Post by **Ballss** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 5:11 pm

Just like putting a kid that doesn't want to play baseball into a baseball league? Trust me........that doesn't work.

Post by **kirker** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 5:18 pm

Well Baseball has a little less of a fear factor involved. And when somone is stimulated by the situation, but hesitant to act, somtimes a bit of reassurance they will be ok helps. And watching the parents take falls definitly doesn't help, but seeing somone they could relate to assure them its safe and FUN! might help????

Post by **Christian** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 5:33 pm

My son is 16 and my daughterr is 9. Their interest has waxed and waned. Son started at 10 in the gym. He is not interested in leading but loves our road trips, being outside and learning to clean trad etc. My daughter started at 6 at the gym ,lost interest but has a friend she likes to take now and her interest is renewed. don't push too much.
When they started out in the gym I made a game of it.when they got afraid I would ask for one more move to the next hold and it would ease their fear.
When your child learns to belay you it really changes the relationship to one of mutual trust and it is really weird when they intentionally hold back because they don't want to climb better than you.
Just be easy with them and remember you are all together and that can be enough.

Post by **Lucinda** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 5:41 pm

I climb so I can escape my kids

Anyway they freak out when they see me climbing so I've never attempted to take them outdoors anywhere and the thought of flying choss, unleashed dogs and snake bites would not make for a comfortable outing on my part. (I'm a Mom Ok) They like the idea of the gym but definately don't have a comfort level with getting much above 15'-25'. I consider that good survival skillls and don't push. The point is to have fun and help them find their own passion as they grow up. The most important thing I'd like to impart is a respect and love of the outdoors so we spend our outdoor time hiking and wading in streams and ponds, looking at plants, etc.

Post by **pigsteak** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 6:38 pm

balls, you got kids? congrats man.

Post by **jjhellstrom** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 7:06 pm

I have a 4 year old daughter and my garage is a climbing wall/gym. It has been very interesting watching her find her comfort/confidence level. At first, she wouldn't climb at all on the wall, without me holding her butt. Then after she made it half way up, she realized she could do it on her own, and I no longer had to hold her butt up to that height. The next challenge was reaching the ceiling. This took a bit longer. Even though, she definitely was "able" to climb it, 10 feet high to a kid is like the Empire State building, and she would always want down as soon as she realized how high she was.. so I started taping suckers and dollar bills the ceiling.. Sometime they would stay there for a few days, but she sooner or later was always motivated to climb up there and get it! now she climbs to the ceiling w/ little to no "butt assistance." That all being said, outside is a bit different.. She would rather swing on the rope than climb. Although, like you said prior, she has a 6 year old cousin that climbs very well for his age, and when he climbs with us, she is much more willing to actually try to climb. Peers, be it for good or bad, can definately be influential...

Post by **gunslnga** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 8:31 pm

Gullwing,
I was very impressed with your kids that time at Eden, My daughter(4 1/2) will gym climb, at the Quest, to the top, but won't get on a route for anything. I just hope that while she is at that age where "daddy is her hero" she will watch and want to do what I'm doing. She has two sets of camo and a toy AK-47 she picked out like daddy's(I'm tearing up!) She says she's dadddy's little soldier

I agree with the other post's just plant the seed but don't over water it and watch it grow......

Post by **ynot** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 10:57 pm

Courtney is 10 and just isn't very interested so I don't push it on her. I ask her if she wants to go along and sometimes she hits the gym with me. Last time she got on a rope and nearly climbed to the cieling. I think you just need to let them do what they want and not push them.

Post by **caribe** » Tue Mar 07, 2006 11:56 pm

My daughter climbed when she was 7yr.. Rappels 200 ft plus at 9 yr.+ and climbs now at 11. She has never led a climb and I am not going to suggest that until she is ready.

Get kids climbing it will get them in shape. When I was a kid I was climbing all the time. It could be the reason why I am so taken with going vertical now.

Hopefully I bump into you in the Red this summer.