AGE 15
Snow-Bound: A Gift for Everyone
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Friday, February 24, 2006
N o gifts, no party, said the nearly 15-year-old. "There's nothing I want for my birthday except snowboarding with friends for a weekend."
With those words, I realized that "kids' party planner" would soon come off my résumé. For this mom, the years have passed of decorating sheet cakes to resemble construction sites, buying ocean-themed party favors and overseeing sports park parties.
A February weekend in the mountains for a birthday celebration sounded appealing. It would be a mini-vacation for the family. Just one thing: If I wanted to see my son, I'd have to make an appointment.
As high school freshmen, Mark and his friends Greg and Luke are taking flight -- riding snowboards on challenging black-diamond slopes and exercising their independence from their parents.
I felt a material separation in the car en route to Wisp Resort when the boys shared two iPod Nanos and a Sony PSP, using them almost nonstop for three hours. Were it not a special birthday weekend, I would have banned the electronic devices for at least part of the drive to encourage conversation.
During the evening in our rental condo, they amused themselves by playing games on an Xbox, viewing a movie on the PSP, watching TV and listening to more music on their iPods with ear buds or speakers. Across the techno-generational divide, my husband and I watched the Winter Olympics upstairs.
During the day, as the boys snowboarded we stayed in touch by cell phone and made plans to meet. When we regrouped, Mark always reported on their slope activities and the snow conditions. "We like going from Main Street to Highline Pass, which is steep, to Eye Opener," he said, naming trails far from the easy ones where I skied that day. "Over the Edge has jumps, but the landings are icy." At the two terrain parks, he said, they grinded across rails and boxes and rode off jumps.
On Saturday evening, we dined in the ski lodge at DC's Bar & Restaurant, where the boys could eat without changing their clothes and head out soon after for more slope action. At dessert, per my prearrangement, waitresses delivered a cake to the table while singing "Happy Birthday." At first, Mark seemed slightly peeved, as if he wanted to groan, "I'm not a kid anymore," but when the song ended, he smiled broadly.
The weekend was one long party for the birthday boy: all play and no chores or homework. His final surprise occurred when we arrived home Sunday night and learned that school was canceled Monday because of snow.
WISP RESORT 296 Marsh Hill Rd., McHenry, Md. 301-387-4911. http:/
To learn about various "experience" gift packages for teenagers, such as learning to race go-karts, visit http:/
