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?

Ski school an absolute must in my opinion. I went with similar age kids and I could barely stand up myself let alone help the kids if they fell! My husband is a good skier and we still struggled getting them on and off lifts etc even though we were with friends who also could help. I had lessons myself as-well as I found it so much harder than I thought I would! The good news is the kids pick it up super quick!!

I’d think about what else you might be able to do rather than ski. I think there’s quite a high chance that the draft lift operators (which you need to get up even nursery slopes) won’t let you go up. My naive mum in the 80s dropped me (couldn’t ski) and my brother (could ski) at the bottom of a drag lift so my bro could teach 13yo me. They refused to let me on the slope as it was clear I’d be a danger to myself and others with having no expert help.

To be fair if you haven’t hit the experience how can you know about the dangers. Maybe next time take a polite approach

I have done a lot of research

You can't ski.
Your kids can't ski.
How can you teach them something you cannot do yourself?

Oh and upgrade your insurance, pronto.

You say did a lot of research @danishkids, what did you actually research?

You are utterly nuts. I just took my three for the first time. They had lessons in the morning - there is just no way I could have taught them and even in the afternoons I was struggling and I'm a good skier!!

I'm just here to see how OP gets on

How can you teach them something you cannot do yourself?

I would genuinely like to hear the Op's thoughts on that. I can't get my head around it.

Op which resort are you going to? I’m asking this as a genuine question because it will make all the difference. People can guide you as to the best place to site yourself. As a pp has mentioned, in some resorts the nursery slope is actually just the bottom of the other runs which means that although it might be more gentle in terms of gradient, you get people hurtling down it at great speed who have come all the way from the top of the mountain to get back to the bubble. In other resorts there will be spaces where you can site yourself on a very gentle incline completely out of the way if everyone these.

But it looks like you’ve realised lessons are required anyway.

Please go to ski school.

Why did you book a skiing trip? Is it for the reason I imagine?

At the least, bat shit.
At the worst, dangerous for everyone around you.

I have only ever been on skis for a few hours when I was 16
You can't actually ski. You need lessons!

@Speakingmymind

Please go to ski school.

Why did you book a skiing trip? Is it for the reason I imagine?

Read the thread.

I couldn't teach myself to ski as a novice, let alone a 5 year old. OP ski school for all 5 of you, is just as much a part of the cost of a ski holiday as the lift passes. If you can't afford ski lessons, you can't afford a ski holiday.

This is why I only ski at tiny local resorts and off-piste. Too many idiots like this around the alps getting it everyone's way and making it dangerous.

You could try going to an hours lesson at a dry ski slope before going? We did this before our first ski holiday just to find out a few instructions.

@toomuchlaundry

You say did a lot of research *@danishkids*, what did you actually research?

"how to ski" "learn how to ski" "learn how to ski in 30 minutes" "can children naturally ski like they can swim?"

[quote Mummyoflittledragon]@danishkids

You say you can’t afford the lessons. You actually cannot afford not to. Without lessons, you or your kids could wind up seriously injured or dead. You are also risking prison and serious debt, wiping out your entire savings, finding yourselves homeless and still in treble figure or more debt if one of you negligently maims or kills someone.

I cannot believe after the pages and pages of comments that you are intent on continuing regardless.[/quote]
Oh and you could also be in prison for manslaughter and not able to attend your child's funeral.

Sorry to be harsh OP but you really need to think about this.

@Mustreadabook

You could try going to an hours lesson at a dry ski slope before going? We did this before our first ski holiday just to find out a few instructions.

And then teach the kids to ski? In the mountains? In winter?

For me the difference is "can" or "want to".

It gives you the morning or afternoon to do the great skiing yourselves and the rest of the day to ski with the kids.

Of course you CAN teach your kids to ski. But I'd consider it a real waste of a ski holiday if I was stuck on the nursery slopes with all those lovely mountains I could be tackling.

And then teach the kids to ski? grin In the mountains? In winter?

Sure - a plan with no drawbacks!

@BoredZelda

For me the difference is "can" or "want to".

It gives you the morning or afternoon to do the great skiing yourselves and the rest of the day to ski with the kids.

Of course you CAN teach your kids to ski. But I'd consider it a real waste of a ski holiday if I was stuck on the nursery slopes with all those lovely mountains I could be tackling.

She can't teach her kids to ski because she can't ski!

@danishkids - real respect for coming back onto the thread and updating after such a pile on. Am really glad you’re looking into lessons - as a pp said, quite often afternoon lessons are cheaper (& less well attended so you get more attention) so definitely look into this. I hope you have a successful time, just take care!!

Sorry, replying again to Zelda re the drawbacks!