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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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?

637 replies

danishkids · 27/01/2022 23:49

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?

OP posts:
museumum · 28/01/2022 09:17

My son loved ski school but my husband hated it (i learned as a child). I think the best way financially for your family is probably going to be a daily group lesson together. Maybe a 2hr lesson each morning, a tiny wee bit practice, then off-slope activities. It could be fun.

But trying to go it alone is a crazy idea.

Giraffesandbottoms · 28/01/2022 09:19

@museumum

This is the best idea - getting a group ski guide. I mean the problem is that you’re all different ages and levels but it’s the best way forward.

OfstedOffred · 28/01/2022 09:19

Omg you are mad. A) you cannot teach yourself. It is not safe - there are things which are counter intuitive, you could seriously hurt yourselves and others.

B) you 100% cannot teach your kids, you don't even know how to ski yourselves.

Skiing is a dangerous activity. Please dont put yourselves, your children and others on the slopes at excess harm.

AnEpisodeOfEastenders · 28/01/2022 09:20

I think your best option would be to cancel yours and your husbands ski pass and ski hire for the week, use the money you save there to put the three children in ski school for the week and you sit at the bottom of the slope in the bar watching them. At least that way they benefit from the lessons and you don't risk their or your lives / limbs.

OfstedOffred · 28/01/2022 09:20

I think your best option would be to cancel yours and your husbands ski pass and ski hire for the week, use the money you save there to put the three children in ski school for the week

This. Please dont try to teach your children yourselves.

SkankingMopoke · 28/01/2022 09:21

I read the title of this thread thinking "well, if you're all skiers it's possible, but it will be a pretty miserable and stressful holiday for the adults.". Then I read your post...! Big fat nope! The fact you'd consider it shows just how inexperienced you are on this topic. The solutions offered by PPs (ski school/x-country skiing/snow holiday rather than ski/cancel) may not be what you want to hear, but they are the only sane ideas.

OfstedOffred · 28/01/2022 09:21

Oh and if you cant afford ski school you probably cant afford private lessons either

Scrunchies · 28/01/2022 09:25

I don’t think the OP @danishkids is coming back …

livingthegoodlife · 28/01/2022 09:26

Can you afford private lessons for maybe 2 mornings? Get one instructor to teach all of you together?

Unfortunately if the kids haven't skiied before then you are going to spend all of your time on the nursery slopes. You won't need your ski passes or get to do proper skiing yourselves. Maybe in the afternoon one of you could ski whilst the other looks after the kids?

Remember the kids will get really tired.

I think you can do it but you need to majorly adjust your expectations of the ski holiday. It will be a learning holiday.

If you could afford to put the kids in ski school even for just a few days then I think you'd see an amazing improvement.

On our first ski holiday (after ski school) my kids then age 3, 4 & 5 could ski a blue run (the little one needed reins).

Good luck.

Which resort are you going to?

knittingaddict · 28/01/2022 09:27

A relative is going skiing soon. Her partner is a fairly experienced skier, she learnt to snowboard briefly. The two children are going to ski school.

I think your children need to have some lessons, either in this country or when they go skiing. I would recommend a snow dome rather than dry ski slope. My daughter broke her wrist on a dry ski slope.

CaMePlaitPas · 28/01/2022 09:27

With all the accidents on the slopes reported recently, including a five year old girl and the actor Gabriel Ulliel who was an experienced skiier, it would be absolutely crazy and hugely irresponsible to not put you all into ski school. If you just want to spend time in the mountains, that's fine, but don't go near the slopes.

Clymene · 28/01/2022 09:29

You can't ski. How can you teach someone to do something if you can't do it yourself? Confused

Panemetcircenses1 · 28/01/2022 09:31

There are 3 kids. 1 could be with your husband (perhaps the eldest), the youngest with you on the nursery slope and the 2nd in ski school for 5 days. How about that?
I am trying to think of solutions here.

Intothelight123 · 28/01/2022 09:32

And when your kids turn 18 just stick them in a car and leave them to it, why bother with lessons 🙄

RobotValkyrie · 28/01/2022 09:32

My parents did pretty much this. My younger sister almost died.
Don't be a mad neglectful parent, OP...

Panemetcircenses1 · 28/01/2022 09:33

Or ask the ski school if the 7 and 8 year old can alternate in ski school if you book 5 sessions so neither feels hard done by.

TonksInPurple · 28/01/2022 09:34

This is a disaster waiting to happen best case scenario they’ll be tears worst they’ll be broken bones. I had a holiday ruined by a man who was trying to teach himself to ski and wiped me out. Don’t book with the company your holiday is with and you’ll get lessons much cheaper not getting lessons is irresponsible and reckless. Have a look at the indoor ski slopes have a look at there requirements for accessing the slope (a really think this should be required in resorts) do you and your husband meet them this is the level to keep yourself and others safe not to teach your kids!

AngelinaFibres · 28/01/2022 09:35

@AnEpisodeOfEastenders

I think your best option would be to cancel yours and your husbands ski pass and ski hire for the week, use the money you save there to put the three children in ski school for the week and you sit at the bottom of the slope in the bar watching them. At least that way they benefit from the lessons and you don't risk their or your lives / limbs.
This is a much better idea. Take a billion photos of your children doing 'cool' things on skis and flood your social media with it. Be proud, drink hot chocolate and do lots of other stuff in the afternoons.
Panemetcircenses1 · 28/01/2022 09:36

The girl who died on the ski slopes recently was in ski school!
Fact is that 1 to 1 with an experienced adult parent a kid typically learns to ski faster than in ski school. Most English parents put their children in ski school so they can go off skiing and enjoy themselves. Many French, Italian and Swiss parents do not do this with their beginner kids.

daimbarsatemydogsbone · 28/01/2022 09:36

This place is proper bonkers at times. I really hope OP is not serious.

Then again, when I learned to ski there was a bloke there in full black motorbike leathers - the old fashioned kind with the fringes everywhere - he reckoned he didn't need to waste money on expensive ski wear but at least he was having lessons.

Dishwashersaurous · 28/01/2022 09:36

Would you book a riding holiday and then try and teach them to ride if you couldn't yourself?

This is genuinely the most crazy thing I've read in a really really long time.

You are unlikely to even be able to use the lifts properly.

Either book ski school for the mornings, going into debt to do so.

Or cancel the holiday.

The ski schools will all be using the easy slopes anyway, so qhere exactly did you think that you would be using?

Everyone, even the best skiers, use skiers school to teach their children the basics.

All of you should be having lessons

daimbarsatemydogsbone · 28/01/2022 09:37

@Panemetcircenses1

The girl who died on the ski slopes recently was in ski school! Fact is that 1 to 1 with an experienced adult parent a kid typically learns to ski faster than in ski school. Most English parents put their children in ski school so they can go off skiing and enjoy themselves. Many French, Italian and Swiss parents do not do this with their beginner kids.
Op isn't an experienced skier though.
Schlerp · 28/01/2022 09:39

Let’s hope the resort surgeons don’t take the same approach to surgery as you do skiing. ‘Well I watched a YouTube video so it should be ok.’

Skiing is an extremely dangerous activity especially if you’re a novice which both you and your husband are. You should all be in lessons at least the first day or two with such limited experience. It’s not just your safety and well-being you need to consider but also of other mountain users. If you struggle to control yourself on the mountain how do you expect to control children?

You’re being irresponsible.

GhoulWithADragonTattoo · 28/01/2022 09:39

Which resort is it? There are bound to be alternative ski schools which may be cheaper especially if you're booking in 5 people you may get a discount. DH will also have more fun if he's in a lesson appropriate to his ability. Given it's not school holidays there's probably lots of availability.

daimbarsatemydogsbone · 28/01/2022 09:39

Kids will soon pick up just enough to be dangerous to themselves and others on the slopes.