Ski school - how often?!

[TheFuckingDogs]

Hello going skiing in Austria with family soon. DH & in laws suggesting myself and DC go into ski school both mornings and afternoons everyday we’re there.
Have spoken to several school parent friends who have said this is too much and we will feel stressed and not get to experience other things like messing around on sledges and just relaxing?!

DH & in-laws are competent skiers and off on the slopes every day which is fine but I’m totally happy for me and DC to do other stuff.

Any tips or advice?

Half day ski school is definitely the norm. How old are your kids? I’d personally only consider a full day programme for teens. In fact I don’t even think full days are routinely offered at most ski schools, unless we’re talking older children of decent skiing ability.

Just do mornings then you are free to either do more fun runs together after lunch or take a break to do other snow stuff like sledging, shooing ice skating etc. it’s a holiday do what’s fun for you. If you can afford it have private 2hr family lesson in morning your learn much more than a big group.

Mornings definitely enough. Then you can practice what you learnt in the afternoon or do something different if you want.

Ski school is hard work 😄

Depends if mornings are three hours or morning/afternoon 2 hours each session , perhaps with optional supervised lunch. How old are the dc? Tbh you won't learn much in a single two hour session a day, y the time the group has got organised and taken turns but fir very young children a couple of hours may be enough, especially in bad weather.

Yep mornings, and then practice what you've learnt after lunch!

Is this really because they can’t be bothered dealing with newbie skiers? Sounds like it!

Depends on the hours, our whole days have often finished by 3 or 3:30 and are fine for everyone. Young children in ski school are not pushed hard all day in my experience, there are always breaks so it’s appropriate for them. There is also plenty time for sledging etc after that although depends on whether that’s on-site I guess. Personally I’ve always done guided groups all day and would rather ski and learn in a group than practice alone. On the other hand if stronger skiers are happy to take you and the kids out in the afternoon then that might be fun too. It might scupper their long lunches on sunny terraces though…!

Another vote for mornings or share private lessons if children over about 12. I would discuss expectations of meeting up with the rest of the party e.g. after a few days in let's have lunch together and one gentle run together after the lunch to show your new skills then the experienced crew speed off.

Thanks everyone for the responses. The group needing ski lessons is myself (dc8) and SIL.

It does rather sound like the experienced skiers are trying to “keep us occupied” doesn’t it. This was what I suspected hence asking on here!

You have all been very helpful! Mornings it is and then we have the afternoons for other stuff 😊

When our children learnt in Austria the norm was 2hrs morning, lunch break, 2hrs afternoon. They would even take them to lunch in the special cafe. You need to work out the norm for that ski school. (Their lessons were mainly held in German too, as that was the majority language.)

When I went on my first ski trip, I was with a group of accomplished skiers. I did ski school every morning, and if the afternoon we all went out together. Everyone else did the black runs / mogul fields etc i the morning, then the easier slopes with me I.
Your DH and in-laws will just have to suck it up, I'm afraid!

In my (limited!) experience, Austrian ski schools work differently to French ones. In France, the usual deal is 3hr morning lessons. In Austria, the standard is a couple of hours morning, break for lunch (kids can be supervised, I assume adults do their own thing) and then another couple of hours in the afternoon. There should still be plenty of time to do other things in resort afterwards.

My kids do two hours morning, two hours afternoon, but that suits everyone because we don't ski, so otherwise their afternoons would be ski-less. I realise we're unusual! Ski school starts from 3.

They're done by tea time and at that point there's swimming or sledging to do with us.

The ski school isn't particularly hard work from what I've seen. The younger ones have breaks for playing, and the older ones are skiing constantly but not being 'schooled' the whole time, so presumably not much difference to skiing for fun.

The norm in Austria for kids ski school is 2 hours morning, then a one-hour supervised lunch break, then 2 hours in the afternoon.

At 3pm the adults pick them up and go sledging, drink hot chocolate, swim etc. if they can drag them away from their new ski buddies and from the slopes.

In Austria, our children went into ski school for the whole day, as PP have said it was 2 hours - lunch - 2 hours.
DH and I shared a private instructor for the first three mornings. He would guide us as the end part of the lesson to wherever the children's group were meeting for lunch.

In the afternoons DH and I were then free to choose what to do. We'd either practice, or spend some time doing other things.

Could you and your SIL share a private instructor? You'll progress faster than being in a big group due to the focused attention. We were skiing blues at our own gentle pace after six hours of lessons and some practice in the afternoons.

Leave the competant skiers to do their own thing. It does sound like they want to have you entertained. You and SIL have a great time setting your own pace.

You will be able to meet DC for lunch. The instructors will show you where you need to be (a restaurant on the mountain) and when (usually 12pm). You hand him back at 1pm and meet them again at 3. Put him in full days. Our DC (8 and 6 last time) thrived on that. They make it fun and there's lots of breaks. And sweets!