Aibu to Think that it Will be easy enough to go on a ski holiday with a 5, 7 and 8 year Old, without putting the kids in ski School?

[danishkids]

We Will go on our first ski holiday ever on Saturday and I’m really looking forward to it. But the more I chat with friends/family, the more people are making me nervous. We are 2 adults, my husband and I. I have only ever been on skis for a few hours when I was 16. My husband has skied a few times.

Everyone I talk to tells me that I’m
Crazy and that it’s impossible to teach 3 kids at once. That it will only end up
With irritated children and parents. Am
I crazy to think that it will be fine? Or am
I just having wishful thinking?

Do you have any tips for first time
Skiers? Especially with kids? Any good techniques to help the kids learn fast?

I’m exited about this holiday, but maybe I shouldn’t be?

[Mammytothreelo]

Just placemarking, stumbled accross this during a search & want to read the whole thread!

[CheesyMother]

I think you would have had some different responses at the start if you’d said you were skiing in Sweden rather than the Alps…

[Flipper39]

I’m so glad you enjoyed it. I don’t know if anyone has mentioned it above but the dry slopes in the UK are absolutely brilliant for learning. By learning I don’t mean just going up and down but learning proper technique which translates perfectly (as Dave Ryding has shown) to snow. My children all learnt on dry slopes ( 2 of them ski race on both snow and dry slopes). They are cheaper lessons than on snow and can be done all year round as an after school activity. I didn’t suggest it before you left as there wasn’t enough time left for them to learn.

[Mostlyjustrunning]

Yes I would actually love lessons but you can progress to a certain level without. I certainly don't claim to have brilliant technique but I am in control. I would love lessons but can't afford them at the moment.

[Octomore]

@Mostlyjustrunning

I can ski properly - red runs and off piste. If I could afford lessons I probably would have some. I have had skiers giving me tips too.

I'm also an experienced skier, done lots of off piste, and still pay for the odd 1:1 lesson to improve my technique. It's a difficult skill, not intuitive, so lessons really pay dividends.

[Moonlaserbearwolf]

@danishkids

Thanks for the sweet replies :)

The chair lift genuinely wasn’t a problem. We stood ready, the chairlift came behind us. We sat down and the pulled the bar over us. At the top we lifted the bar, stood up the skies a at from it. Maybe it was an easy skilift? I don’t understand why it should
Be hard?

So glad you had a lovely time OP. But I really hope nobody reads this thread and follows your example. You were so lucky nobody got hurt or hurt others.
I've skied for 20 years and wouldn't dream of taking my children skiing without lessons. Fair enough to have a practise on a training slope after the lesson, but we didn't take ours on the piste until they weren't a danger to themselves or others.
Chair lift operators are often nice to young children and slow down a lift for them. But I've been on the occasional, vicious (usually old) chair lift that whips around a corner a second after you dismount. Even experienced chair lift users can get caught out!

[Mostlyjustrunning]

I can ski properly - red runs and off piste. If I could afford lessons I probably would have some. I have had skiers giving me tips too.

[fiveminutebreak]

I've just spent the day skiing, with an instructor, this was my third lesson. Plus I've skied before though some years ago. It's really bloody hard work when you're learning! I envisioned after this lesson being able to take my kids to do a green run together. Not a bloody chance. I wouldn't trust myself to take care of them well enough. You'll be stuck on the bunny slopes the whole week most likely and you have no way of knowing of your kids will even enjoy it. It was a bit foolish to book a ski holiday and not factor in the cost of lessons. They're essential for kids unless parents are v experienced skiers. .

[danishkids]

Thanks for the sweet replies :)

The chair lift genuinely wasn’t a problem. We stood ready, the chairlift came behind us. We sat down and the pulled the bar over us. At the top we lifted the bar, stood up the skies a at from it. Maybe it was an easy skilift? I don’t understand why it should
Be hard?

[Changechangychange]

@Mostlyjustrunning

I’ve actually never had a skiing lesson…

Can you actually ski though? Properly? As I mentioned upthread, I know a self-taught snowboarder, and after eight weeks of teaching himself he was about at the level you’d expect after 2-3 days of lessons, ie still couldn’t actually link turns. And I see a lot of those guys from the chairlift, doing falling leaf down the red runs.

And you can ski properly, did you teach yourself by watching YouTube videos, or did somebody who does know how to ski tell you what to do and give you feedback, ie a lesson?

If OP or her partner were great skiers, nobody would have told them they were idiots. It was the fact none of them could ski, and none of them seemed to have any idea of the potential risks, which people were reacting to.

[Mostlyjustrunning]

I’ve actually never had a skiing lesson…

[Alaimo]

Glad you had a nice time OP! Did you got one of the skistar places in Sweden? I think most Swedish ski resorts are great for families, they're compact, not too steep, and people tend to be very accepting of kids learning, falling of pomas, etc. I'm not surprised you couldn't afford lessons though!

If it helps, I taught myself how to ski, and managed to get to a point where I could do easy reds before I started to feel the need for lessons. I then paid for a couple of private lessons which really helped improve my technique and confidence.

[lljkk]

I'm super glad you had a great time, too. x

[oncemoreunto]

My poor dc.
I couldn't teach them to ski, I was too busy keeping upright myself.
Once they could hammer out "twinkle twinkle " I was of no further use on a musical instrument.
And swimming wasn't any better.
I see my failings clearly now!

[Adastraperaspera]

The reason I thought they would be fine is because I taught my own older children, 6 and 8 at the time, to snowboard on a small hill, whilst being a complete beginner myself. We had a blast and amazing memories, they still talk about it now as teens. They actually loved the fact that we were all learning together.
And yes, I am European from a country with mountains. I also taught all my children to swim and to play the violin and piano. I only sent them to music teachers once they had passed their grade 3s. I also taught them all to read before they started school. It really isn’t that hard and I also work part time. Some of us actually just love teaching our own children stuff.

[Mostlyjustrunning]

No they go to Sweden

[AlmostAlwyn]

RTFT, people. They went. It was fine! Comparing it to skydiving. Come on now

OP, I thought you were crazy but your update was great! I'm so glad you had a good time! Sounds like you were very sensible and didn't try and do too much too quickly.

And for the people sniffing about beginners managing a chairlift, that's what the operators are there for. They can see kids and beginners coming and slow the chairlift down, help the kids on and off, stop the lift at the top if someone falls... It's not that hard

[SpaceDetective]

Sounds like a great holiday OP. Are you Danish yourself? I do think this is a cultural issue

Many Swiss/French/Scandinavian kids learn on the hill near there houses initially anyway.

This has tickled me greatly, Denmark has very little snow and no mountains, its highest point is just under 180m above sea level. There are not legions of Danish parents teaching the kids to ski on the hills behind their houses!

[Bigpaintinglittlepainting]

Fabulous op ! Thank you for such a detailed update it sounds like you have a wonderful time.

Well done for being cautious and still enjoying yourselves

[buddylicious]

So what are your plans if your kids get the hang of it quicker than you and your partner (which is what normally happens)? So they ski off ahead and you're stuck halfway down. Who looks after them? It's so irresponsible!!!!!

[HopingForMyRainbowBaby]

@danishkids

This time round money is too tight to put them in ski school. So we thought we could take it slowly, learning together. I have watched some YouTube videos to try and learn the basics (I know it will be different in real life but it’s a start)

Sounds like I am being unreasonable

Has anyone taught yourself and kids on your own?

That would be like me saying 'well I've watched a few sky diving videos on YouTube so Ill save myself some money in having lessons cos I'll probably be safe enough now to Chuck myself out of a Plane'

[Etinoxaurus]

Good for you op! Can’t remember if I posted first time round, I guess not as it didn’t reappear on threads I’m on…
I’d have said, ridiculous, you’re mad. But I’m delighted it worked out. I’ve never skied in Sweden but hear it’s flatter and quieter, definitely wouldn’t advise such bravery in the Alps.

[Mostlyjustrunning]

Yes indeed. I’m sure several posters would have been delighted if they had all ended up with broken bones.

[feb21]

There's quite a bit of snideness on this thread. Personally I'm a big fan of ski school.

But the OP made their ski trip work for them in a way that didn't endanger others. I suspect they'd all have made more progress in ski school but they clearly had a nice week together. Let's be gracious rather than picking her apart.

[Theredjellybean]

Well OP must have potential Olympic skiers in her kids.
I cannot believe three children and an adult all beginners managed a chairlift unscathed... But hey maybe as I said they are skiing prodigy