I say no. Here is the story.... Lexi is taking ski lessons in a class where a parent skis too, she is just 5 and took lessons last winter for about 3 weeks then Dh hurt his knee and couldn't go. This week was her second lesson of the season and when she got to the bottom she comes in the lodge to me crying hysterically her foot hurt she said ( It was -14 here this morning so even though she was dressed for it I think her toes were really cold and her sock was bunched) That was it we packed up and went home. After we got home Dh was all grouchy b/c she did fine, skied down the mountain by herself and there was no need of her crying and he thought she should be able to know right from left when he tells her move your left ski or something. I think he is expecting too much. Skiing is HARD at first and sometimes I still have to think about my right vs. left. He was fine to her but I still want to pop his head off. I can't ski with her b/c I am not good enough to help myself much less her.

By Trina on Saturday, January 18, 2003 - 01:56 pm:

I agree with YOU! My goodness, that is too much to expect from a 5 yr. old. Skiing down the mountain all by herself?! I think she did a GREAT job!

By Palmbchprincess on Saturday, January 18, 2003 - 02:59 pm:

I learned left from right in kindergarten, and the one thing that made it easy was this sign above the chalkboard. My teacher traced a pair of hands, the left one making the "L", and the right one next to it. She labeled them and we saw them every day. You might want to try that to improve her memory on that. Also, is it possible she is mildly dyslexic? Many ppl are, including my mom and DH. As far as everything you said, I agree. Heck, I'm 20 and I still cry sometimes when I'm frustrated!!! And I don't know how to snow ski, so GO her!!!

By Trina on Saturday, January 18, 2003 - 03:39 pm:

Crystal, as a former teacher (PreK, K and Gr. 3) and a mother of children 4 & 6 yrs. old I have to say that it is VERY normal for kids to get Right and Left confused. Even my 3rd Graders had to think about it. That in itself is certainly not a sign of dyslexia.

By Marcia on Saturday, January 18, 2003 - 04:28 pm:

I agree that it is NOT a sign of dislexia. My almost 10 year old still has to think of it once in a while.
And even if it was a true sign, it sure wouldn't be on a ski hill. When your main focus is getting down the hill without wiping out (BTDT enough times!!), left and right is not on your mind.
I think it's great that she's doing so well. I can understand her frustration, and yours.

By Jewlz on Saturday, January 18, 2003 - 04:37 pm:

think she is doing great smiles ... j ust wanted to mention as u get off the trams at sea world and disney land .... to go to ur cars ... they always say please exit to ur right ... and as the people get off the tram ... he repeats ... ur other right please lol adults are confused also ...she has alot on her mind ... give her a few more tries ...maybe with someone that is a neutral third party ? ...

By Ginnyk on Saturday, January 18, 2003 - 05:08 pm:

Your dh should cool out and stop kvetching. He is, I suspect, just disappointed that she came home early crying - men often have exaggerated expectation when a child is doing an activity which they themselves enjoy and possibly do well. If her instructor isn't complaining, why should he? (BTW, it isn't clear whether dh was there - if he was, why was he involved in instructing her if she is in a class, and was he perhaps disappointed that "his" day of skiing had to end early and that is why he is grouchy?) There is a true story that when farm boys joined the U.S. Army in WWI and WWII, so many of them had difficulty telling their left foot from right for marching that the drill instructors tied a small bit of hay to one foot and straw to the other, and would drill them with "hayfoot, strawfoot" instead of "left, right".

I agree with the posters above, it is nothing to worry about. While I don't agree with Palmprincess about the possibility of your daughter being mildly dyslexic, I think thinking of the left hand in the shape of an "L" may help a bit, but not when she is concentrating on skiing down a hill.

By Melissa on Saturday, January 18, 2003 - 05:59 pm:

Yeah, I have no worries she is dyslexic she writes and reads independantly and doesn't confuse letters or numbers at all. I just wasn't sure when kids did catch on to right and left I suspected it was as Trina confirmed, still normal to mix it up.
Dh has to ski with her in this class, each kid has a parent with them to get them off the lift and help pick them up. So it is sort of parent and me instruction.

I think you are right Ginny it is a MAN thing and yes, he would have liked to have them take a couple more runs. He wasn't grumpy or mean to her. I just heard about it. I don't want to have him make her feel like she has to be perfect and take the joy out of stuff and it bugs me when he expects too much of her. I will be letting him know that I checked with other moms and the Left right thing is normal. Thanks all for validating what I thought.

By Ginnyk on Saturday, January 18, 2003 - 09:03 pm:

Actually, Melissa, as I thought about it, I think it is a parent thing. I think most parents are a bit disappointed if their children can't do things the parent does well or enjoys. I know that one of my sons never reads fiction, can't understand why people would do such illogical things as they do in fiction - I, on the other hand, am an avid reader and don't understand why he doesn't enjoy it. And, one of my sons is (shh!) a Republican! Which I will never, never understand.

By Mechelle on Saturday, January 18, 2003 - 10:00 pm:

Your DD can do more than I can!! I have never been on a pair of skis, and wouldn't think of trying it!! LOL! The last thing going through my mind, flying down a hill of snow, would not be left or right foot.........I'd be trying to figure out how to stop, and get down with out any broken bones rofl!
I myself still get my left and right mixed up(not very often though)
Dh says "Other Left!" LOL!
Dh needs to lighten up a bit.
She's doing a good job I think! I can understand where you and your DD are coming from

By Palmbchprincess on Saturday, January 18, 2003 - 10:37 pm:

Ok, I'm sorry I said that about dyslexia. I was only pointing that out b/c my mom showed signs her whole life, from kindergarten on and wasn't diagnosed until and adult. I was not saying that mixing them up would be a sign alone, I misspoke.

By Melissa on Sunday, January 19, 2003 - 07:22 am:

Crystal, it was worth a thought. What if she did have other signs and I had never considered it a a possibility? That's why we have such a great board someone else often sees things you don't

By Familyman on Sunday, January 19, 2003 - 06:30 pm:

I still get left and right confused and it was about the time I got my drivers liscense when I got good at it. It's just not natural so some people, I always hated it that people didn't understand that. Sking is hard too, but it's so much easier when you start small. What's hard for little kids is that they can't make their bodies do what they want. They can see so many people skiing better than them but they just don't have the strength or coordination to make it work. What's worse is that between ever ski season they grow and have to re-learn most of it over agian! It's not until your'e about 12-15 that what you learn really seems to apply the next year and you can really learn to ski like an adult.
Oh, and when I was learning to telamark ski in college it wasn't unusual to find me crashed back in the trees swearing up a storm with tears on my cheaks. And I was 25, not 5.

By Debbie on Sunday, January 19, 2003 - 07:24 pm:

Melissa, My ds is almost 5 and he does sometimes cry when frustrated or things don't go his way. Jordan does know his left from right, but he does have to think about it. I don't think he could respond quickly, especially if he was learning a new skill, like skiing.

My dh does sometimes have unrealistic expectations when it comes to our boys. I think that he has a hard time realizing what they are really capable of doing(for their age) Could this be the case with your hubby??

By Sickpuppy on Saturday, February 15, 2003 - 09:32 am:

I STILL don't know my left from right! I have to always say this is my writing hand, so it is right. It is a BIG mental block with me, and my husband has a real good time with it when he is giving me directions while driving. "No, no, your other left"

I used to worry that this would be a problem with my kids (my son is 4 1/2, and he has absolutly no clue). My other daughters,well, I had to put little Ls and Rs on their shoes for them to remember. This was in first grade! They are 11 and 13 now, and they are just fine.

You're daughter is fine, and I'm glad you reinforced that she is fine with her.

Stupid Ski instructor! Course, could that be an oxymoron? Just kidding ;->

By Jewlz on Saturday, February 15, 2003 - 01:45 pm:

lol sick puppy my daughter was in flag/dance and tho she was very good she had to think about which was her right and left so she started wearing bracelets on her hand that was her right cuz it always had more movment in front of her eyes ... then she could differentiate between the two quicker and then she said she could just feel it and it became second hand to her ... she was 15 when she finally learned this totally ....

By Sickpuppy on Saturday, February 15, 2003 - 02:01 pm:

Bracelet! Trememdous idea. I will remember to give my son a watch or something when it becomes an issue.

PS. My girls also did not learn to tie their shoes till I think third (maybe even fourth) grade. No lie, I had to buy those velcro ones at Striderite for so many years.

By Melissa on Saturday, February 15, 2003 - 03:49 pm:

Funny what a diffence a month makes with little kids. Now a month later Lexi is skiing by herself and even getting off the lift by herself ( with a grownup beside her.) She still doesn't get the Left/right thing but it isn't holding her back.

By Ginnyk on Saturday, February 15, 2003 - 07:53 pm:

A bracelet - what a brilliant and simple idea. I love it.