Bode Miller says daughter Scarlet, 2, is ‘really strong’ and ‘enthusiastic’ about skiing

Celebrated Olympic alpine skier Bode Miller has found the secret to success in getting his kids on the slopes. For his youngest, Scarlet, 2, he uses sibling rivalry to his advantage.

He talked about his parenting methods and new mental health-themed film, “The Paradise Paradox,” when he visited Studio 1A on Monday and chatted with TODAY hosts Craig Melvin and Laura Jarrett.

Miller and his wife, former pro volleyball player Morgan Miller, are parents to sons Nash, 8, Easton, 5, twins Asher and Aksel, 4, and late daughter Emeline, who died in a tragic drowning accident in 2018 when she was just 19 months old. (Bode Miller is also dad to son Nate, 11, and daughter Dace, 16, from previous relationships.)

Their newest arrival is Scarlet Olivia Khione Miller. She was born in December 2021, but it took the couple six months to land on a name for her. They initially called her “ocho,” which is Spanish for “eight" in honor of their eighth child.

"Last time we chatted, Scarlet didn't even have a name yet," Craig said to Miller. "Now she's 2. And I heard and saw recently that you were trying to get her out on the slopes? Is there any chance that she might follow in Dad's footsteps?"

Laughing, Miller said, "I don't think so. We did get her skiing this year. She was really enthusiastic about it, seeing all her brothers get all their gear on and go out all the time and she couldn't go."

As an aside, he added, "I think that if there's a secret to getting a kid to want to go, that's it. Hold them back and let all their siblings go."

How did Scarlet fare on the slopes?

"She did great. She's really strong," Miller said.

Miller's 4-year-old twins, Asher and Aksel, are no strangers to the slopes. They skied over 100 days last year when they were just 3.

"What's the trick to getting them into it?" Laura asked.

"For them it's like cheating because they're identical twins. So one or the other always didn't want to go," Miller explained. "But then if you got one dressed, the other one would want to go. So you never had to push them."

"Plus it's in their blood. They can't help it," Craig added.

And when it comes to Scarlet, the Millers are still "bopping around" with nicknames. Morgan Miller "refuses to call her 'Scarlet,'" he shared. Instead, she "likes 'Kiki,' which is, I guess ... fine."

This article was originally published on TODAY.com