Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

Original poster

Skiing holiday?

25 replies

Antoniacaenis · 06/09/2017 19:04

After a couple of stressful attempts at a winter holiday with our 2 young children I have told DH that I will not go again until the DCs are at least 4 and 6. I don't ski myself and it's a week of self catering in a fairly family unfriendly chalet. There are limited options for entertaining toddlers there (DCs are currently 2 and 4) - especially in bad weather. There isn't a crèche or childcare.

So I have suggested to DH that he arranges a child free trip with skiing friends and I will stay home with the DCs. He has reluctantly agreed to this (as he is desperate for the DCs to get on the snow early) but now the friends who want to come are a couple ( of very good friends, who we've shared holidays with successfully before) who have a 3 year old DC. They have said they don't want a child free trip but would like to all come and alternate childcare.

But I still don't want to go. Both of this couple are good skiers, but if they alternate, one of them will always need DH to ski with IYSWIM. Leaving me to do the childcare - albeit with the company of the non skiing partner.

AIBU To refuse to go?

OP posts:

teaandtoast · 06/09/2017 19:07

YANBU.

How are you at managing 3 kids by yourself?

StripeyDeckchair · 06/09/2017 19:08

Given how much a skiing holiday costs and the nice holiday you could have the money instead (somewhere warm, with sunshine etc) and your DH is not the one trying to entertain 2 small children all week you are definitely not being unreasonable.

Do something the whole family will enjoy.

massistar · 06/09/2017 19:09

Well you're not making it sound terribly appealing! Why does it have to be self catering? You can do ski trips to some very family friendly places .. toddlers can sledge and play in the snow and your eldest will definitely be able to start skiing.

It's also much more fun to go with another family. But then I love skiing and have taken ours since they were babies. I can see that YANBU if you hate it that much.

Ttbb · 06/09/2017 19:11

Maybe ask him to hire a nanny? The oldest must surely be ready to ski? Theirs is also old enough so it should be just the one right?

MrEBear · 06/09/2017 19:13

Look at Snowbizz and learn to ski

KweenOfFarts · 06/09/2017 19:15

Doesn't sound like a holiday!

I'd rather take kids to Butlins at that age. Although probably cost as much as skiing

massistar · 06/09/2017 19:32

I think you're going to get very polarised opinions from those who've never skied and don't get it and those who love it!

Inertia · 06/09/2017 19:35

Sounds like a great holiday for your DH and the other couple, and even more work than usual for you. I wouldn't go.

Original poster

Antoniacaenis · 06/09/2017 19:40

Thanks for the replies, I can't ski due to health issues and it's self catering as the accommodation is family owned - although we still pay for it, there is no choice on location... I think the oldest might be ready to start skiing soon, but I don't think she would manage a whole session at ski school and DH is not confident enough to teach her himself. I am also a bit at the cost of it all.

OP posts:

opinionatedfreak · 06/09/2017 19:50

Send your husband with the kids and his friends.

If he wants them to ski that badly he can do the ski school pick ups and drop offs!

If the kids aren't ready for ski school there is no point in them going!

DOI: I ski, one of my usual ski buddies brings the kids while their non skiing DP stays at home. They also organise a child free weekend but I'm not a good enough skier to go on that and tbh even the 7yo is starting to outpace me...

FizzyGreenWater · 06/09/2017 19:52

Um, radical idea maybe, but how about finding a type of holiday which is actually suitable for the WHOLE family to enjoy?!

You don't ski. The children are too young. The only one who actually gets a holiday here is Mr. Doesn't Have To Do Childcare.

Am I missing something here?! The obvious answer is that you don't go on skiing holidays until the children are a good bit older.

It's going to be at least three years until a skiing holiday doesn't translate into you turning into some kind of chalet maid nanny, so it's a BIG FAT SNOWY NO.

Oldie2017 · 06/09/2017 19:56

Yes send him with his friends and the children - all sorted! That is what I would do. We took ours when they were 3 5 and 7 and they went into ski school and we learned to ski (I'd been once at school and liked it) and that worked well but if you don't like it or as you say you have a knee problem or whatever the health issue why should you traipse all the way out there - let the father take the children and you get a child free week! He and his friends can alternate the child care or pay for it.

Allthebestnamesareused · 06/09/2017 19:57

Don't do it. They will end up all going skiing every day and you will end up looking after their child as well your own. After all, they'll say it seems silly for X to miss out on skiing too!

Whocansay · 06/09/2017 20:02

Don't do it. You don't ski. They all do. You will end up feeling obliged to look after all the children all the time to let them ski.

Save the money for a holiday you can all enjoy.

5rivers7hills · 06/09/2017 20:39

That sounds shit. Why don't you go to a nice chalet or apartment in a better ski resort with ski school and crèche?

Go with esprit or similar.

5rivers7hills · 06/09/2017 20:40

Or can't DP just go for a long weekend on his own or with one friend sans children? Chamonaix or moraine are both easy to do for a long weekend.

WineAndTiramisu · 06/09/2017 20:43

Definitely not, you'll end up looking after all the children as you "don't ski", doesn't sound like a fun holiday to me...!
Send the 3 of them with the kids and book yourself into a spa (or whatever you'd prefer)

Alexkate2468 · 06/09/2017 20:50

Yanbu, that doesn't sound like fun.
However, does t have to be a certain resort? We stayed in a fabulous family friendly resort in Austria where they have dedicated weeks in the slopes for families. The ski schools were brilliant and there were other activities for non skiers such as sledding, Snowman building competitions, discos etc. I'm not a great skier but still had a lovely time. Stating in a hotel rather than a self catering chalet was good... But not as good as a fully catered chalet. We also went quite late season so it wasn't too cold but there was still good snow. I think if you went to a more child friendly resort and changed a few of your arrangements you could have a good time. It's been one of my best holidays ever (DD had just turned 4 and could ski red runs by the 4th day).

LuisSuarezTeeth · 06/09/2017 20:52

Tell him to take the kids and you'll go do your own thing.

Alexkate2468 · 06/09/2017 20:52

I did read that it's family owned accommodation, but if you're still paying for it you might as well spend the money on a more suitable place.

alibongo5 · 06/09/2017 21:17

I love skiing but I wouldn't want to go to a ski resort if I didn't ski. Just no. It would be boring, expensive and uncomfortable. I had to do it for two days when I injured my knee once and found it pretty awful.

It may just about be ok when the kids are older and are skiing and you can sit around reading and drinking and eating. But still, depending on how much it would cost, definitely not my first choice of holiday.

Just can't really think of a good reason why you would want to.

TefalTester123 · 06/09/2017 21:19

Another vote for Snowbizz. Just give them a ring and discuss it with them. Snow garden, creche, restaurants, accomodation, lifts all within about 100 yard area. Go outside school holidays and prices are verz reasonable, for skiing that is!

rookiemere · 06/09/2017 21:54

YANBU . I like to ski and DH had only been on the dry slopes so I went away with friends for long weekends instead and we went as a family when DS was 7 and old enough to go to ( English run) ski school and enjoy it.

Its a dear holiday if you don't ski and if he's worried about the DCs not getting the opportunity when young there's always dry slopes or artificial slopes.

BeALert · 06/09/2017 22:12

I live in a state with lots of skiing, and IME it's a bit shit trying to get kids to ski before they're 5 or 6. I just wouldn't bother till the youngest hits that age.

Take them somewhere you'll all enjoy and leave the skiing holidays till they're older and more self-sufficient.

Nordicwannabe · 07/09/2017 21:04

Self catering and looking after the children each day with nothing fun available to do sounds shit.

But that's not the only option.

I agree that if you're paying for the family accomodation, then there's no point staying there - and in any case, accomodation is a small part of the cost of a skiing holiday. You should choose a more suitable resort.

We went to a resort in Finland when DD had just turned 4, and like Alexkate2468 it was one of our best ever holidays - even though we didn't end up skiing! DD went absolutely nuts for the snow, and that made it fun for us. They had a ski run you could sledge down and we went high up into the mountains, had lunch in a ski restaurant (which felt like an adventure for DD) and sledged all the way back down. We made a snowman, slid down snow hills, threw snow around... It also helped that the hotel had a pool (DD loves swimming so we went every day when the cold got too much) and good restaurants. It was fantastic.

Where did you go in Austria, Alexkate2468? I'm already planning our trip for this winter!

Flip