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Original poster

mad to take 4 year old skiing, who struggles with separation?

53 replies

perfectpanda · 06/01/2015 18:30

Hi

DP is desperate to go skiing, and wants to take the dc (age 6 and 4) this year. I have a few doubts, and was interested to hear other peoples experience with their kids?

My younger dd (4) cried the first half term of starting reception, and the first term of swimming lessons, mostly separation issues I think. Have you seen many kids howling at ski school?! She will be with her sister, and I have no doubt she will get into it. I just wondered how common it is for kids to get overwhelmed by ski school. I'm not too fussed about skiing lessons myself, but I'm in no position to teach her myself and would want the kids in lessons. But is it the kind of place where I can hang around the class until she gets into it?

I don't really want to pay all that dosh for a week of tears and frustration, which won't really be fair on her, and I'm wondering if its better to leave it a year. I'm interested to hear what other people have found. Thanks!

OP posts:
LIZS · 06/01/2015 18:50

You would need to choose ski school carefully. Ime wailing children are often left on the side, to get cold and even less happy. Parents watching is much discouraged as often makes the situation worse. You might be better just taking 4 y o off to play , swim , sled yourself and not plan to ski.

Johnogroats · 06/01/2015 23:07

Having seen my niece hating skiing, I would probably leave it a year. Mine have been having ski lessons sice about 4 with no issues but they are independent.

BringYourOwnSnowman · 06/01/2015 23:13

Hanging around is discouraged because if they see you it makes it worse! you can normally hide round a corner though,

My 4yo just did a week of lessons in the 3-5yo group

day 1 about an eighth of the kids were taken out because they were miserable (parents were called if they weren't there). There was a bit of crying but instructors were good at dealing with it in that way teachers do!

DD told me she cried 8 times on the first day (and it was heartbreaking to watch), 2 on the second and then that was it. I didn't think that was too bad in 2.5 hours! If it had been up to her she wouldn't have gone back day 2 but she now says how much she loved it and liked making friends.

Why not take her day 1 and take it from there?

JacksonBrodie · 06/01/2015 23:23

We took our 3.7 year old last year and he was def too young for it. He loved the idea of skiing but hated being away from us, cried every day going to ski lessons. He goes to nursery full time and is v sociable. But being in a class of strangers speaking French, hidden behind helmets and goggles, was quite a lonely experience for him. Not sure the stroppy 20 year old girl teaching him helped massively either! You could try private lessons, but expensive. Or just chill in resort and play, and let the others ski. Good luck!

Original poster
perfectpanda · 07/01/2015 08:41

Thanks all for your feedback. Maybe we will leave it a year. My older dd is so much more confident now she is a bit older, hopefully the same will be true of dd2.

OP posts:
Artandco · 07/01/2015 08:50

We started ours skiing lessons at 2 years and they love it. Ds1 is almost 5 now and skis well.

However we have always put them in private ski lessons not group so they had one -one help and guidance ( now one-two as ds1 and ds2 share). They would ski them to ability, take for hot choc if cold, and could just lift on and off lifts when tiny. Now ds1 races me!

CLJ52 · 07/01/2015 08:57

Our first ski holiday as a family was with Esprit Ski and they were brilliant. They had trained nannies looking after the kids who did a mix of skiing, sledging and just playing. The chalet set up was very homely which also helped kids feel at ease imo.

It is a fab holiday for kids - but a bit of a blow to your own confidence when they are whizzing past you on the slopes by Day 5!

LoxleyBarrett · 07/01/2015 09:08

Ours have all been skiing since they were 3 (youngest now 5), they love it and have all joined a local race club at home.

Yes there have been a few tears along the way, but we chose our resort and ski company carefully to make things as easy as possible.

We Ski with Ski2 in Champoluc, Italy. English company with their own instructors. Quiet slopes and small groups means the children progress quickly and don't spend too much time standing around getting cold. If it's too much, or your children are tired there is usually the option to let them go to the crèche for a day or so for a rest too.

Phoenixfrights · 07/01/2015 09:28

Having done it, I would say leave it for this year if she hates being left. The potential for tears and upset is very very high even when the instructor is excellent.
You won't enjoy a holiday which hinges on leaving an unhappy child. It is a really good idea to have them both at the same level as then they can go to classes together and ski the same runs with you. So maybe another reason for leaving it a year ...

Goingintohibernation · 07/01/2015 09:38

I would share your reservations. We took DS when he was about 4. He is very confident and has never ever been upset at being left. He had a really bad ski school experience with ESF. The instructors, and most of the children were all French. There was one other English child in the group, but the instructors did not introduce them to each other and neither of them realised there was anyone else who spoke English. As a result DS did not speak a word to anyone for the first morning, as he assumed no one could understand him.

By day two he was refusing to be left. As a result DH and I took it in turns to stay and watch him. I saw several children sobbing. One little French boy sobbed constantly for about 20 minutes, as he skied, and was completely ignored by the instructors.

It hasn't put him off skiing, he loves it, but it really put him off ski school!

Sitoff · 07/01/2015 13:53

We took our 2 at this age but paid for 2 hours a day private instructor - I then tagged along too. No separation issues and kept them both at approximately the same level. I found it quite helpful to listen in to the instruction so that we could then follow through when we skied as a family later in the day. It is expensive and it is not ideal for your husband/you not to have a partner to ski with but look on it as an investment - soon they will be as good or better than you and you will enjoy years of family holidays.

PatriciaHolm · 07/01/2015 14:00

Our experience was similar to several others - both kids hated ski school, but have thrived in private lessons (2-1, and as they are now older 4-1 with friends of a similar standard). So now at age 8 and 10 they are very good black run/off piste skiers; no way ski school would have achieved that.

massistar · 07/01/2015 15:45

I would also recommend a private instructor maybe just for an hour initially. We did this with both of ours so they got used to the environment and got a little more confidence.

Ours went into ski school at 5 but we always used British ski schools with smaller class sizes.

DS has always been to ski school and is also a very confident skiier at 9 who can ski black runs so I don't think it needs to necessarily be private as they get older just a matter of choosing the right ski school.

Muchtoomuchtodo · 07/01/2015 22:46

It does depend on the child. Ds1 started at 4.5 and was a bit wobbly the first day or 2 but Family ski provide ski school helpers for the first couple of groups which made a massive difference (english speaking, friendly face to help them out). He's just 9 and will be in the bronze ESF group when we go later this year.

Ds2 started at 3.7 - the youngest that Family Ski will accept. He loved it from day one and got 2 esf awards in his first week and now at 6 will be in the 2* class.

Private lessons are expensive, but you will know that they are getting more focussed attention, otherwise I can recommend Family Ski for the extra English speaking support - it really is great and as a parent you get lots of feedback about how things are going.

SanityClause · 07/01/2015 22:54

We took DS when he was just turned 3, and he really just wouldn't join in with lessons, so I just let him mess around in the snow in the morning with me supervising, then in the afternoons, we all skied together (DH, 3DC and I) with DS skiing between DH's legs.

Six weeks later, we went again (cheap, because a friend lent us his house) and he really took to it!

He's 10 now, and snowboards.

SanityClause · 07/01/2015 22:56

Sorry, didn't answer your question.

Be prepared to have to take her out of lessons, if she doesn't take to it, but it probably won't take long, and she'll be ready.

Original poster
perfectpanda · 07/01/2015 23:52

Thanks all. I hadn't considered going and not putting her in ski school. Maybe dp can be in charge of her tuition! and I'll take her sledging in the afternoons. Anyway, your replies have helped me trust my instinct that ski school won't suit her this year so that's helpful.

OP posts:
LIZS · 08/01/2015 08:11

How good a skier is dp ? tbh It is really hard work trying to teach small children yourself and taking them on lifts and down between your legs . Not for the faint hearted.

QuintlessShadows · 08/01/2015 08:22

If your dp is going to do the tuition with her, I suggest investing in a pair of skiing reins for training purposes.
When dh taught our sons, aged 3, they were invaluable. Dh had them between his legs, so they could hold on to his thighs for support to start with, and with the reins, they could let go and dh still be in control. They learnt really quickly.

QuintlessShadows · 08/01/2015 08:23

But yes, as LIZ points out, they need to be confident skiiers.

QuintlessShadows · 08/01/2015 08:24

Sorry LIZS.

Tigresswoods · 08/01/2015 08:32

I'm planning to do what sitoff describes.
D's will be nearly 5 in half term. He's going for 2 hours a day with New Generation. English speaking, just 2 hours. It gives me freedom to go & ski & hopefully he'll learn enough that we can ski together towards the end of the week.
DH doesn't do skiing so I'm on my own but with friends with older kids.

Phoenixfrights · 08/01/2015 08:49

I wouldn't teach them yourself unlwss you have teaching skills personally.

If you are going to take them out I recommend those things that the French call 'Scoobidous': plastic tip clip things that keep the ski tips together. Make sure to get the rigid ones. We had some fabric things and they were useless.

Phoenixfrights · 08/01/2015 08:53

[http://www.levelninesports.com/Wedgease-Children-S-Ski-Tip-Connector these]]

Phoenixfrights · 08/01/2015 08:55

Bugger. Try again.

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