Advice please - daughter doesn’t want to ski

[Whowherewhywhat]

Hi - we are a family of 5 - have wanted to ski for years but daughter has never wanted to go. The kids (pretty much adults now!!) will be DS20, DS18 and DD16. We are looking at either Lapland or skiing over Christmas next year - if we went skiing we would look at something like Neilson skiing (we are frequent Neilson summer hol goers) as we will all be skiing newbies - I’ve just mentioned to my daughter and she is adamant she doesn’t want to ski - my question is would there be enough other things to do / people that don’t want to ski to do other things eg sledging etc?
would this be a nightmare hol for her over Christmas - thoughts please or safer to do something like Lapland?

Pyha is amazing isn't it. Just a beautiful area to relax and enjoy the peace and the snow. We're going back again in Feb and I can't wait.

My mum broke both her legs tripping over on a summer hol in the 'garden' of an apartment in one of those apartments round a pool type complexes. (Completely sober, on a warm dry sunny day, just mis-stepped and twisted). MSK injuries on holiday aren't special to skiing.

I would not choose Christmas, of all times, to go on an activity holiday which one of my kids hated. That seems mean and to be honest a tad daft. Surely it's best to go another time of the year with the ones that are up for it?

I'm not sure why you're so wedded to Lapland? Yes, there are other things to do, but they're expensive and will she really want to do them on her own? Plus at that time of year, the sun doesn't actually come up, and whilst the light is quite eerie and magical, it can feel a bit oppressive too.

I'd look at going to Austria. You can stay in a proper town (rather than purpose built resort), the weather should be nice (we just had beautiful blue skies and sun for 5 of our 7 days), so you can enjoy being outside a lot more. The public transport is excellent and easy to use, so she could get a train along the valley to other interesting places. She could get a day pass up to meet you all on the mountain one day. Tourist info offices often have lots of things organised for non-skiers (we have a non skier in our group who is never short of something to do). I'd look at somewhere like Zell am See.

I agree. Lapland is surely for younger kids. Didn’t even have much snow early season this year if the tiktoks are to be believed! Bribe her to give skiing a go if she possibly can and go somewhere with some fun après and nice shops, sledging and ice skating. I reckon she’ll come round. I certainly did even though it’s been much harder starting as an adult!

The thing here is that she doesn’t hate it — she doesn’t want to try it. Two very different things!

I have no advice but fascinated by this thread. I would love to be able to afford a family skiing holiday. I would also love an excuse to spend a week reading books by the fire while my family were out.

True but I still wouldn't want to risk a sulking or upset teenager (or the prospect of leaving them out of the loop) over Christmas. I really don't think it's the best time to try something that different and which essentially forms the basis of the whole holiday.

We went with crystal Ski. Only skied a bit and did LOADS of other things. Cheaper skiing in Ruka than the alpes. Might be a good compromise.

It doesn’t feel as dark because the snow makes things brighter. I lived in Lapland for 10 years and will be going home there is 2 after my husband finishes a contract. Did you decide to book the holiday OP?

I’ve never tried sky diving but I’m fairly certain i won’t enjoy it. 😁

😂😂 It's 1495km from the border of Russia. I think they'll be fine!!

Personally I wouldn’t go to Lapland at Christmas if your kids are not interested in Santa - you’ll be paying the Santa premium, reduced availability, and dealing with the coldest weather and longest darkness hours, without the benefit. I’d go at Feb half term.

I also agree there is not a lot for non skiers in virtually all ski resorts. Yes there are quite a few non skiing mums who can enjoy a week of reading and pootling around on their own, but much less fun for a 16 year old girl who doesn’t crave downtime in quite the same way.

However. I tend to think that she ought to suck it up and give it a try tbh. It’s not really fair that the rest of you want to but never get to try it because she’s not keen. She doesn’t have to go more than once if she hates it but seems unfair she is ruling it out having never tried it, when that affects the whole family… if she were my child I’d be saying well we all want to try it, so you can give it a go and if you hate it you can spend the rest of the week reading/swimming.

However. I tend to think that she ought to suck it up and give it a try tbh. It’s not really fair that the rest of you want to but never get to try it because she’s not keen.

'Never'? In a year or two dd will be old enough to stay home alone, or will be going on holiday with friends. The rest of the family can go skiing then.

OP, could you take a non-skiing friend to keep her company?

But I think you'd need to check what exactly there is for a 16yo to do, especially if she will be on her own. Would she be allowed in cafes/restaurants where alcohol was being served, for example?

She’s the youngest of the 3 kids MissRose, the others are 20 and 18, so seems more likely that this is one of the last chances for the family to try skiing together. I’d have made her go several years ago actually!!