I suggest tobogganing. What could be more Canadian than tobogganing? At -10C the weather is not too cold nor too windy. ‘Bogganing is healthy and relatively safe. We head off to the local large and medium hills, side by side. The sun is shining and we climb and make one on the medium and four on the large, all great runs.

The 6th run is from the large hill. We start smoothly, but as we rapidly descend the ‘boggan begins to veer left. I, in the rear position, shift weight right, but the curve of the hill and snow is too much and we cannot correct. Can you guessed what happens next? Yes, momentum continues to carry us in a forward direction at rapid speed, while said ‘boggan veers on a leftwardly course. Of course the little one has no interest in this theoretical non-colinear progression until the inevitable reality check: we faceplant.  More specifically the little one faceplants. Technically it wasn’t the whole face, only the anterior right of the top of the head and the right side of the face, but to the little one, a face plant none the less. This did not go over very well, and he immediately wanted to go home. I bring out the big guns.

“Not everything turns out as you expect. Sometimes things suddenly change. All you can do is hang on, pick yourself up and carry on”.

So convincing was I that we did another 2 runs for good measure, and called it a day. The little ones learn so easily, so freely. It’s got to be a gift.

There are times when you wonder just who is listening and who is coaching.