Aibu to think skiing is not an essential skill!

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My brother & his wife hate skiing but bring the kids once sometimes twice a year as they think it's an essential skill for their children to learn.. aibu to think this is ridiculous & it will never, ever come in useful in adult life!

they think it's an essential skill for their children to learn.

It might be if they intend to hob nob with the fancy folk. 😀

I’m not wholly convinced swimming is an essential skill for everyone these days. Some people, depending on location and occupation, yes.

But having been an avid swimmer as a child, it’s been years since I was near a pool. I’ve been on a few boat trips in recent years, but were the boat to capsize into the North Sea miles offshore, I doubt I’d be able to keep myself conscious in the frigid waters long enough to actually attempt a swim to shore.

On the plus side, my dislike of skiing means DH takes DS in February half-term without me 😁

So you see - it IS an essential skill after all.

The idea that not learning how to ski as a child will mean you're excluded from certain social circles or even professions seems bizarre to me. Yes, lots of posh people ski but there are plenty who don't.

I was privately educated. Some kids went on the school ski trips, but lots didn't. Some families went on ski holidays, but some didn't. It was a complete non-issue.

I went on a holiday with a group of friends to a ski resort when I was in my early twenties. There were a couple of very advanced skiers, a couple of complete beginners, most were middling but some didn't ski at all. The non-skiers just read books, pottered around the town together and did other activities during the day and then we all met up for dinner and drinks in the evenings. Most cared more about the apres-ski than actually being on the slopes!

FIL loves skiing and MIL has never been on skis, yet somehow miraculously their marriage has survived!

It might be a class marker but I think there are others that are far more significant.

I had a colleague who was good at every sport but had never tried skiing. Somebody asked him why. "As far as I can see, it's addictive as well as expensive, and I've got a young family to support."

Do they live in remote Scandinavia? If not, no it isn't necessary. And if they do I think most people have moved on to those snowcat things to get about.

Agree. I should like skiing on the basis I have many friends and acquaintances who go skiing every year. It is used as a social marker. But I HATE SKIING. I also hate what it has become.
We’ve all had lessons and just don’t enjoy it. I’d rather be hiking or on some type of holiday that stimulates the intellect - looking around historic places and learning about other cultures.

It's a nice thing to be able to do. I snowboard and think it's a fantastic skill to have as it's so much fun. Essential though? Absolutely not.

Well according to my db & sil it is essential for their dc to know how ski which personally I think is ridiculous I just wanted to see if I was in the minority or majority with my opinion.

I wish my parents had done that when I was younger. I was very sporty, and always wanted to go. Every year. My parents liked sitting by pools and visiting markets so instead we did a lot of northern France 2 week summer breaks. I missed out both times on the ‘names out of the hat’ for the school ski trip.

I learned in my mid 20’s (even for a sporty person this is way more difficult than learning at 6) and when I ski with my other half who learnt as a toddler I still thick back to my childhood years of begging to go. We can ski much of the same stuff, but he is so effortless and I am definitely trying!

We ski 2-3 weeks a year now, and haven’t done a summer holiday in as long as I can remember. Different strokes for different folks, but I can’t think of anything worse than sitting by a pool on an AI.

it’s not an essential life skill, no, but I don't think they are doing anything worse taking their kids skiing even if it’s not for them than people who take their kids to Disneyland or a caravan park arcade or any of the other holiday things that are ‘fun’ for kids and a slog for parents, but doesn’t seem to get the same vitriol on here. At least skiing teaches new physical skills, resilience and probably a bit of language skills. Every lesson of kids that we got in a lift with at Christmas was being delivered in at least two languages by the instructor and kids are sponges and will definitely pick bits up.

That it's become some social marker makes it totally unappealing to me, and anything involving sliding on a slippery surface (unless it's socks on hard flooring or sledging) is not my idea of fun. To be honest I wouldn't want to mix in circles where I'd be seen as lesser for not being able to ski. Similarly golf (which apart from crazy golf I think is a load of wank).

The only comment that has made me rethink my position on skiing is @CortieTat's, "if we are heading for a post- apocalyptic future any life skill that increases chances of survival could be essential, including being able to move fast in varied terrain and atmospheric conditions." I can get behind that way of thinking. Cross country skiing is something I'd like to try but downhill skiing leaves me cold.

Yes their dc sound like they enjoy it but they ski in a group with an instructor not with db & sil who are in another group.

It's a great family holiday which can continue for years. But if they dislike it then what on earth is the point !

As many have pointed out already, I'm sure they didn't mean that literally either.

Perhaps they don't have the right language to express what they really meant.

But I still don't get why you care. Their kids, their money, their choices. Skiing being not 'essential' but something that's important to them. 🤷‍♀️

That’s a very good point @Butchyrestingface 😁

I suppose it is in certain circles. I was at a kids party recently and two other parents started talking about ski resorts and where they’ve visited. I had nothing to add to the conversation so sloped off (ha! See what I did there?)

Bit life golf for blokes, it really does help in the corporate world.

It’s pure snobbery on their end. No other reason. I bet they tell everyone they’ve been skiing

We ski 2-3 weeks a year now, and haven’t done a summer holiday in as long as I can remember. Different strokes for different folks, but I can’t think of anything worse than sitting by a pool on an AI.

There are actually quite a lot of types of holidays that are neither skiing nor sitting by a pool in an AI resort. We do neither

It is essential for some of us! We skied as children and so have our children. To not ski would be for our children to have missed out on making friends.

So you could add any sport or hobby to that really....

And you don't know the friends they missed out on making because you didn't teach them how to do surfing*

*Maybe you did teach them how to surf

But it's not essential for my brother & his wife who didn't ski as kids or adults until the kids came along & they don't enjoy it. Suddenly it's an essential skill..

Hah its an essential skill in my country, they have to learn to ski in PE at school. But its cross-country skiing, not downhill (though they do get taught to slalom on a hill near the school). Which means I have to buy skis, but at least I only had to buy for my oldest, and youngest gets the handmedown skis.

I wonder if it's an essential skill in European countries - which are a bit closer to ski resorts but where you have to drive there.

That's different & it's part of your lifestyle. Sounds lovely & if you have the weather & facilities I can totally see the appeal..

no, not essential in any way.
I think all ski resorts should have their own fracture clinic attached, the number of people I know who've broken bones on a trip!

Not my lifestyle, I can never be arsed with cross country skiing, too much like hard work! (I would like to go to the downhill centre nearby though one February half term though) But we have cross country tracks starting at the end of my road, and they go almost all the way to the school so my DD used to ski to school when she was in preschool.
Still somewhat dangerous even if its not downhill, my DD fell over while going down a bit of a slope, and managed to kick herself in the eye with her ski and came home from school with a lovely black eye!