No phones on ski trip

[AreTheyMad]

DD is going on a ski trip with school next week. We've just been informed they won't be allowed to use their phones during the day, only for an hour in the evening.
Would you be happy with your DC not being allowed to take their phones on the slopes?

I think it's mad, and I'm trying to formulate a mail which doesn't sound over protective pub! It means they can't call if they get separated from the group, check the map, if they injure themselves. What if the visibility is bad? Am I overreacting here?

My son went skiing with the school and they had to have a phone with an international SIM card to use on the slopes, came in handy when they had to get an Uber when they ended up in the wrong place. Isn’t it supposed to be a “fun” ski trip?!

To be honest if he can’t go on the slope without a phone, maybe he should stay home and tied to your apron?

My DD is on a ski trip right now and she's not taking her phone on the slopes at risk of it getting damaged. They don't stray from the teachers so they're always in a group.

However, it does sound like you've made your mind up anyway because you're pretty much arguing with anyone that has a different opinion to you

Think of the wonders it will do for their mental health not having their phones! Imo they'd be more likely to cause themselves an injury trying to Ski and film stuff/take pictures than get lost and stranded from the group!

Nope. I wouldn’t be happy with that especially if going to the alps. They had huge avalanches and not just off-piste. They aren’t going to ski school. They need beacons if not phones preferably both.

A break from their phones will do them a world of good

Oh won’t they … ok, maybe you have a crystal ball.

Goodness me, how did we ever cope before flipping phones????
Your child will be fine without it. Learning to live without a phone is a life skill they will definitely benefit from.

It also means no lost or broken phones half way up a mountain.

to those citing avalanches… a mobile phone is not going to save you in an avalanche. If that’s the real worry then beacons and avelanche packs are needed, surely?

Of course you’re over reacting. You seem to be under the impression that your child will be handed a pair of skis and sent off into the night. They’ll be supervised extremely closely the whole time, in small groups and won’t be able to go anywhere without an adult instantly noticing. Not being able to contact parents immediately is probably half of the reason too. Half of the point of going is to be away from home, in an unfamiliar place and just getting on with things. It’d be ridiculous if they could message you every time they get a bit cold, or fall out with a friend or feel a bit scared. You might say that your kid won’t do that but plenty would and they need to face a mildly challenging situation by themselves (with friends and staff) and grow from it. It also means parents won’t be contacting the teachers every two seconds because a child has a mild inconvenience. Your daughter will be fine, she’ll have a great time and will come back a better person for the trip. You’ll also experience a growth through letting go, trusting that your daughter is in a safe environment and is sensible enough to deal with any slight problems that she may face.

@dogsbowl Do you know anything about avalanches? You think a school trip will be off piste in a high risk area? They definitely won’t. A phone would be pretty useless too. It’s about time phones were banned, and why on earth are parents worried? Let dc grow up!!!

I don’t understand why you’ve even asked, seems your mind is made up.
From someone who went skiing in Canada with the school in 2006 with no phone on the slopes and lived to tell the tale.

@OhDear111 to be fair the pupils will be doing black runs and possibly going off piste on a compulsory ski trip, and it seems without too much adult supervision, so that seems quite grown up and independent to me.

But you are an adult. Not a child on a school trip.

Having spent 4 hours (and counting) so far today trying to set up screen time limits on DS2's computer, phone and tablet, I'd love someone to take all this tech away from our kids and throw it down a ravine with an avalanche of snow on top.

Let her go without her phone!! It's so much better for the kids' social lives as well.

A good old fashioned piste map will solve this. And on a school trip, skiing or otherwise they will be supervised at all times on the slopes.
imagine a bunch of teenagers all trying to message their mates/Mums or video each other, then mislaying/losing said phone & the parental complaints when little Susie comes home without said phone. I have seen plenty dropped from ski lifts over the years not to be seen again until summer ☺️

No one on a school trip is going to be taking kids off piste, especially given that there have been avalanches of late. Bloody hell apply some common sense. On piste will be fine, aside usual skiing risks of falling etc. No ones going to be buried in snow doing skiing on open pistes in an Alpine ski resort. Jesus wept

Messaging and taking photos is going to cause them more potential danger than not having a phone.

Do you have any idea how well pistes are
managed in ski resorts? They do
things like controlled explosions or
close pistes if the piste could be exposed to avalanche.

Have you contacted the school yet @AreTheyMad?

Seems sensible to avoid the risk of them trying to video whilst on the slopes.

Buy a tracker fob for her jacket or pocket. Doesn’t break rules and gives peace of mind

@dapsnotplimsolls no, it's the afternoon, they're closed.

! I hope so. However friend had the experience of seeing her four year old in French ski school being left behind by group instructor as friend happened by hovering overhead on ski lift …