Colorado has this amazing skiing program for kids in kindergarten through fifth grade. It’s incredible—you get a free ski pass to some of the top resorts in the state, plus a free lesson if you’re a first-timer. As soon as I heard about it, I couldn’t sign up fast enough! I didn’t grow up skiing in Michigan, but here in Colorado, skiing feels like a rite of passage for kids. There was no way my six kids were going to miss this opportunity.
The lessons only run during the first ten days of December, so I knew I had to act fast. Three of my kids fell into that age range, and getting them all into the same class can sometimes feel like coordinating a small army. Luckily, the program was able to accommodate us, and we were scheduled for December 7th at Breckenridge. I mean…Breckenridge! My kids were going to learn to ski at Breckenridge—and it was completely free! I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.
Since the lessons required an 8 a.m. check-in, we decided to book a hotel for Friday night. It made sense—Tim, my husband, could take the kids skiing again on Sunday, and we’d already be up there. We decided to make a full weekend of it. Our twins stayed home with their grandpa—they were too young for the program and it gave us a chance to focus fully on the older three. And of course, our baby came with us; he’s still breastfeeding, and I wasn’t ready to leave him behind.
Because our kids had perfect school attendance, we thought, why not head up Friday morning for an extra day of fun? I checked with their teachers, and they were thrilled. “Oh my goodness! They are going to have so much fun!” and “Enjoy that family time! Those kids deserve it!” Their enthusiasm made me even more excited.
We hit the road Friday morning, grinning from ear to ear. The kids couldn’t believe they were getting a “mountain adventure” instead of school. To them, it was huge—so we played a game on the drive, guessing what their classmates were doing at different times. When we arrived at the hotel, the first thing the kids wanted to do was go swimming.
While they splashed around, I snapped a picture of Bowie, our baby, sitting quietly on the ground, watching his older siblings. I posted it online with the caption, “Watching the siblings swim!” and tagged our location: Breckenridge, Colorado. Within thirty minutes, a comment appeared that literally made me stop and laugh:
“Oh, so your kids played hooky from school today? Wow. Mother of the year!”
I mean, really? I know people have different parenting styles, but this? I called Tim, who was out snowboarding, to share it. He immediately went into defensive mode. “Molly, don’t let that get to you! Don’t let it bother you!” he said.
Meanwhile, I was laughing hysterically. I grew up taking days off for family trips, and those are some of my best memories. People can be wild sometimes! Honestly, in my humble opinion, I am mother of the year.
Mother of the year for letting my kids learn to ski…at Breckenridge…for free. Say that again. High five me through the screen!
Mother of the year for booking a hotel for two nights with breakfast included, a pool, a hot tub, and a perfect mountain view. Our 7-year-old even said, “Wow, mama! Look how beautiful it is here!”
Mother of the year for letting them run from the cold snow into the steaming hot tub, laughing hysterically, their little giggles infecting me. That alone might be the memory they carry forever.
Mother of the year for letting them pick desserts after meals, even when their bellies were full. With six kids, that doesn’t happen often—but they were thrilled!
Mother of the year for creating bonding moments they’ll never forget: running from snow to hot tub, skiing down the mountain together for the first time, testing how cold little hands could get in the snow, sampling three dessert flavors at every meal, and snuggling with us in a hotel bed. They did it all together.
Mother of the year for watching their confidence soar. Each run down the mountain was better than the last. Their first attempt versus their final run? Unbelievable. I was their cheerleader, feeding them compliments and celebrating every small victory. Watching them strut a little taller, laugh a little harder, and beam a little brighter—that was priceless.
And yes, mother of the year for letting them skip school for a day. They deserve breaks, fun, and adventure. School is important, but it can’t teach adventure—and adventure is important too.
So here’s to family, laughter, snow, hot tubs, skiing, desserts, and yes…playing hooky when it means creating memories that last a lifetime. Cheers to adventure!
