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?

[NoSquirrels]

The kids will pick it up quickly, and at least that will get them started.

And they have no fear, until it’s too late!

So you have overly confident inexperienced learners, who outrank the adults 3-2, and the most competent adult 3-1…

[Doona]

I think it would be okay as long as you start on the baby slope. That's obviously really important. Don't just leap on the first chairlift you see.

[NoSquirrels]

@LentilNameChange

Is there nordic/ cross country skiing at your resort OP? That is flatter, slower, safer and much easier to just have a go at. In a similar position to you, we put our 3, 6 and 10 year olds on cross country skis, without lessons, on the flat valley loop and we all had a blast - the kids can essentially just -'walk' on their skis if that's all they can manage, or you can do some gliding once they get a bit comfortable. You can actually learn a lot from youtube vids for cross country skiing. That's what I'd suggest if you are low on cash. You also don't need to pay for lift tickets (or helmets!) and with the money saved you could get an instructor to give you a whole-family beginner lesson together for cross country skiing. I really think it would be a good option to look into

This sounds useful.

[Aroundtheworldin80moves]

I spent a day watching the baby slope. In some ways its the most dangerous as there's so many people just working out what they are doing with qualified instructors. The only people who weren't with instructors was patents giving toddlers their first skiing experiences.

[NoSquirrels]

Ugh this is giving me horrible flashbacks to my 5 year old DS disappearing down a hill at a rate of knots not listening to us shouting at him to turn!

Yes Rainbow!

I absolutely bloody LOVED skiiing when I as younger. No fear.

As an adult, as an adult having to even consider being in charge of my children… not so carefree, frankly. My adult self looks at situations child me was in and goes
WTF?!

[moneyfornothingandthekids]

Hahahahhahahahha

[user313213521]

I've watched someone who was clearly a good skiier have a momentary lapse, lose control, hit a tree and die.

Skiing is a dangerous sport, especially when novices do it without training, and when experienced people push themselves a bit beyond their own boundaries.

I also know (knew) two people who died while flying their own light aircraft. Would you be so keen to let the DC fly aircraft without proper instruction?

Put the DC and yourselves into ski school for the mornings only and have the afternoons as a family on some of the tamer green / blue slopes.

[ShinyHappyPoster]

Please don't listen to the posters who suggested you don't need helmets. You do, regardless of the slope and the type of skiing. We've had two horrendous accidents in our friendship group over the years - experienced skiers and one was on the flat.
The best and safest thing you can do is treat this like a snow holiday not a skiing holiday. Go sightseeing. Build snowmen. Stay away from the skis. You can't learn on YouTube and you will put everyone at risk.

[danishkids]

The resort we are at only has the option of 5 day ski school for the kids, so we cannot just choose a few hours unfortunately.

Regarding if I know how to put on the boots, walk up
The hill etc. yes I have been skiing once before. Otherwise I will research it

[danishkids]

We will all be wearing helmets

[nixon1976]

You sound like you don't want to hear this but this is seriously non-negotiable - YOU ALL NEED LESSONS. I am what I would class an expert skier - I have skied since I was 5, lived in Austria, raced for my university. My kids have all had lessons since they started, aged 3. They did not come out of lessons until they were 11, minimum. It is not just learning to ski, it is mountain etiquette. Skiing is brilliant, brilliant fun, but can be very dangerous if you haven't learned the basics. To yourselves, and to others.

[fairlygoodmother]

You absolutely can’t do this. The best case scenario is that your children will all hate skiing for ever. I’m an experienced skier, but once I spent an afternoon trying to learn to snowboard without instruction. 30 years later it still stands out as one of the worst days of my life. Nothing bad happened it was just unrelentingly miserable.

[WindowWanker]

You will be able to book a private lesson for the family.

[danishkids]

How do you normally go about doing this?

[Doyourememberthetime]

I’ve never been skiing. But it’s very dangerous even for adults. So many people die skiing, and there have been so many ski deaths in the news recently. A 5 year old died. I wouldn’t go skiing at all but that’s just me.

[danishkids]

Booking a private lesson?

[nixon1976]

One or two private lessons for the family won't cut it either (unless you plan to spend the rest of the time in the spa/walking/ice skating ie. not skiing). Beginners need a full week of lessons (or at least every morning, and then potter around on in the afternoons)

[Summerfun54321]

2 non skiing adults can’t take 3 non skiing children out on the slopes. It’s dangerous and reckless and you’ll be a nuisance to others.

[GhoulWithADragonTattoo]

5 days of lessons sounds ideal for beginners. You'll be amazed what you can learn in that time.

[TheTeenageYears]

I wouldn't normally recommend borrowing money for a holiday but in this case I really think you need to consider your options of how you can pay for ski school rather than the fact you can't afford it. It really is madness to try and teach 3 children to ski when you have so little experience yourselves. Skiing is an extremely dangerous sport. Every single other person on the slopes should be regarded as a danger to you. Honestly you will all have a much better time, as well as a much safer time if you put the DC in ski school. You've already spent the vast majority of the money, find a way to make this a great family trip that you all remember for the right reasons for years to come.

[Windintrees]

Cancel the trip if you cannot afford ski school.

[GhoulWithADragonTattoo]

Or postpone to next year and save.

[Messyplayallday]

Wow.
You say the easy slopes…you’ll actually be on the bunny slopes because you don’t even know how to get them off the lifts safely! 2 adults and 3 children - how are you going to manage lifts? Some of them only seat 4 or 3. Larger lifts and you’re putting other skiers at risk being on with you all.
You need to know slope etiquette too. Safety on the slopes, what to do if one child gets hurts and another is further away from you. Do you have walkie talkies?

I recommend contacting the resort you’re going to and seeing if they have any smaller ski schools near by that teach on the slopes, they are often cheaper than the ones directly at the resort. You could do an Instagram or Facebook search of the resort you’re going to and see what people have posted about childrens lessons. You could even ask the resort if they will do a discount for a family lesson for all 5 of you and do 3 half days together.

[WindowWanker]

You can book private lessons either through the ski school before, or when you get there.

[Lockdownbear]

Book lessons or it's a disaster waiting to happen. 3 kids & 2 adults, 20 limbs between you, how many will return intact?

I skied in my youth, didn't ski again for years, met DH and tried again but it was like starting from the beginning again. He's good, had coaching certs and got me to a average skiier level. But I've also had a few professional lessons along the way too.

The wee 5 year old killed just two weeks ago was on a blue run. Her killer tried to avoid her, and tried to give her first aid. Just heartbreaking absolutely heartbreaking.