I am a skiier, but I will dabble in boarding once in awhile, particularly at the small hills that aren't challenging enough for me in SEPA. The Boy rides, however, and seems to like it.

Some ups I have found:

Way more comfy boots!
I have heard it's easier to 'get good' faster...
I think it's easier to do jumps and tricks on a board because you don't have the added difficulty of two feet doing two different things at once
Boarding in powder is supposed to be an amazing thing
I have heard it is much easier on your knees than skiing

Some downs:

It's attached to a 'hip culture' which i'm not really into
Since it's easier to get passably decent at quickly, I find that lots of boarders put themselves on slopes that are too difficult for them and end up riding down on their butts (the snowboarder slide) and taking all the snow with them!
It's easier to break a wrist (when you fall forwards you tend to put your arms out and I've heard of a lot of beginners hurting themselves this way)... but then skiing is easier to break a thumb, so whatever...


Some things to keep in mind. When you fall, and are sitting on your butt in the middle of the trail, ikeep in mind that that's probably not the best place to be, especially if you are near a jump or a significant change in pitch.

The reason most skiiers dislike snowboarders is because of this reason... if you've ever seen a group of teenage boarders sitting at the top of a run and strapping in while blocking the entire thing, you'll understand.

That, and the fact that they can utterly destroy moguls.

But seriously, most skiiers don't just 'hate' snowboarders, they just get pissed off at the inconsiderate ones. A really good carving snowboarder is such an amazing thing to watch...

I'm sure you'll be great at it! Have fun!