My son will be in y9 next year. He has the chance to go skiing with school next year in Italy and really wants to go.
Financially it will be tight, but I want my children to enjoy new experiences and adventures. He's been abroad with school a couple of times and I've not batted an eyelid. Until now.
I don't know anything about skiing and I feel sick at the thought of him going on this particular trip and he is completely new to skiing.
I suffer from anxiety and I've tried hard not to project my fears on him throughout his life. I don't fly myself anymore and I am also very nervous on motorways, but have made sure that he has flown and I have never spoken of my phobia.
He's quite an uncoordinatedchild at times and I have visions of him getting trapped on a ski lift (stupidly Googled this and a school boy died that way in 2014) or falling off a mountain.
Other deaths/accidents I am aware of relating to skiing fly into my head. It seems like such a dangerous pursuit - my old boss had a terrible injury as a result of skiing.
I know I am being irrational but don't know how to relax. I genuinely know nothing of skiing or how big the risks are. It feels like there are so many dangers, from the ski lift to the cliff faces.
Also, I wonder if this type of holiday is really special - I want to know what's so great about it. I'm disappointed by my ignorance and fear of the unknown.