 Poster: A snowHead
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Following our very recent new arrival, and the fact that pregnancy deprived my wife of skiing this season, we are turning our thoughts to booking for next season.
Do any of you have any recommendations for resorts with baby care facilities, as I doubt whether my wife will want to leave Grace at home.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Are you mad?! Take a nanny- prob work out cheaper than childcare in resort anyway.
By the way - Grace is a gorgeous baby name- well done !
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Quote: |
| Take a nanny- prob work out cheaper than childcare in resort anyway |
I wonder... not a bad idea, did that a couple of times for summer hols (self-catering) and it worked just fine.
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| Grace is a gorgeous baby name |
Tell that to my eldest daughter, going on 16. She's threatened to have her name changed by deed poll, and Grace is only her second name!
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Well tell her this PG, my initials are SHAG - nice! I swear my parents were drunk
Ive nannied for a few families and alot of the other nannies I met regularly used to go and do a few weeks here and there with other families on holiday.
ANd just think you can put the baby in the Nannies room and you'll get to sleep properly for the first time in a year!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Nadenoodlee, The mother in-law has offered to help, hence the reason for me finding an option 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Then it doesnt matter where you go does it! Pick where you like, you'll have to sacrifice everything soon enough anyway- might aswell get one last time in your fave resort before financial and emotional ruin
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Ken Lingwood,
A couple skiing with our party at Saas Fee this year had an 8-week old baby at the resort!
They said they chose Saas Fee because it was one of the few resorts with baby-care arrangements which could cope with so young a child.
They seemed worry-free, so I guess the care was good.
Congratulations on having Grace arrive - safely and all well, I hope.
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Nadenoodlee, I think you misunderstand me, the mother inlaw has offered to come along as a Nanny. Nice offer but I'd rather stick pins in my eyes 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Oh Ken i really feel for you! leave the baby with her then! Your Mrs will be fine by then - she'll be glad of the sleep id imagine
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Babies.............well surely that's the wife/girlfriends job, did she not check the small print in her contract of engagement?
Val D'Isere had some really good child care facilities from talking to a few people when we were there..........our stag on the stag do was doing some investigations as he doesn't want to loose any time on the slopes due to potential kids so is doing his groundwork now. Some of the hotels can combine it as a package, i'll see if i can remember what the name was, but it was right on the slopes (just above and to the left of the walk through tunnel on the way to the olympic lift area if coming down the mountain) in a ski in ski out location so very easy to check up on/say hello during the day if needed. If I can't remember e-mail the tourist board, i'm sure they will be able to tell you immediately which one it is.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Oh boy, hope you've got a fat wallet ... with no grandparental offers at all, we used Esprit (then a small independent, now sadly not any more), Mark Warner and Simpy Ski (at the other ends of the spectrum companies like Scott Dunn and Crystal have childcare arrangements but I no personal experience) when ours were really little - but you WILL PAY for the childcare! Try taking your own nanny and unless you can find exactly the right bedroom configuration it costs an arm and a leg in room supplements. Try finding an independent nanny and you might have more luck than we did - i have a feeling there's a independent nanny outfit with a website in MEribel - I'll try and find it for you.
Our approach was to get them skiing independently as early as possible to cut the cost of childcare/ childcare linked packages and then sort out independent hourly/afternoon care with passing chalet girls/nannies on their day off/reps/anyone not obviously a child molester really. But now they ski independently all day and we've got all sorts of bother of another sort trying to find the a ski school with the right aged children for their ability!
GOOD LUCK and enjoy!! 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Depends when it is during the season, but you can rent the likes of our apartment (3 beds) in Bourg Saint Maurice during March/April when accommodation is much less expensive, send the nanny down on the ski train cheaply(!) while you fly, it's even possible to arrange to be be picked up from the likes of Chambéry airport (I've done that a couple of times this season) - just over a hour door to door. The advantage of BSM is that it's quiet (no screaming drunks yodelling around the resort at 3am, or in the corridors), simple to get up to Arc 1600 (8 mins on the funicular). DIY hols can work out a lot cheaper, even if they appear to be a hassle to arrange. Just a thought!
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or you could have OUR apartment in Courchevel 1650 (and I know a lovely girl who does childcare)!! Lots of space for you and the inlaws ...
I've found the nanny service in Meribel - don't know how to do a link but the address (?) is www.kidsetc.co.uk
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You know it makes sense.
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Ken Lingwood, is your lovely mother-in-law really that bad? We have continued skiing despite children, and have tried all sorts of childcare systems:
Mother-in-law
Mark Warner
Take-your-own nanny
Ski Esprit
Sharing care with other families
All worked well enough, but by far the best was mother-in-law (when Rosie was 3 months old).
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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Acacia, any chance of posting what's there as you have to register to view?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Ken, I'd agree with Jonpim, all the options will work well, but Grace will be more settled with a familiar face around her
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Gosh
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Acacia, I think that photo is a fake.
(ie man with flames from back-pack/kiddie was added to picture of cliff with photoshop or equivalent).
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Lake Louise child-care take babies from 18 days for the dedicated ski mums! 
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Friends of ours in WHistler last week bought there 5 month old wiht them (still too young to mind the journey/jet lag) and used the "nanny network" to prebook a qualified carer for the 2 weeks. Worked out really well, and she happily did quite a few evenings for them too.
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Hi Ken, You've stolen our next daughter's name!!
i always receommend a company called skibeat when this question comes up. Good resorts, great chalets all with en-suites all baby facilities can be provided cot, bottle warmer, baby monitor etc. They also generally offer a free nanny service in January. All nannies are english and english qualified and they use their own creche. Top tip choose your chalet based on the location of the creche ideally in the same building. It is much easier for you to carry your skis or baord a disctance tot he slopes then it is to carry children plus stuff tot he creche. You also don't need to get them changed into their outdoor clothes on the way in/out of the creche.
The nannie always take the kids out whether permitting and have an area ofr sleeps etc.
Our daughter is two and a half and has been using the service twice a year since six months. We've had friends with kids travelling with us for five years now and had no problems. In fact sometimes its hard to get the kids away.
I've also heard very good things about mark warner but never used them myself and they are more expensive.
I would also recommend looking into a private transfer from the airport (if you fly) as the journey will be shorter and you can put her in a car seat where she will sleep so you all get to the resort in a positive frame of mind. a two to three hour bus journey with a tot on you lap is not pleasant (not to be confudes with totty on you r lap which is much more fun).
Just shout if you need anymore
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Jonpim,
I know the photo is a fake. It was originally posted by a member of the Epicski forum, as a picture of himself and new daughter in a backpack. This subsequently spawned a 4-page troll on the subject of babies in backpacks. The photo that I linked to was posted as a joke.
Dan,
You don't have to register to browse Epic, but they like you to register if you want to become a fully-fledged member of the forum.
Incidentally, and with apologies to all on this forum, IMHO Epic is without doubt THE BEST internet ski forum.
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Hi Ken,
We took our daughter, Beth, to Zauchansee in Austria with Ski Hillwood this season. She was 11 weeks old. They provided a nanny and it worked OK but I'm not sure that I would use them again.
When she was 14 weeks old we took her to La Tania with Ski Beat. I agree pretty much with everything that Ashton said. They provided a creche with around 5 nannies which took children of various ages. This was a brilliant holiday and Beth seemed to love the creche. Altho' it's kind of hard to tell these things!
So next year we may well go with Ski Beat again - highly recommended. We're also going to have a look at Ski Esprit as I've heard good things.
Oh, and Grace is Beth's middle name. Hmm, seems a bit of a common name at the moment!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Alan
'common'?
surely you mean 'popular' !!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Yeah that was the word I was searching for!! 
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Thanks for the advice, much appreciated.Alexandra, when I stayed in Banff I was impressed by the child care facilities on the local hills. I reckon that'll be the destination.
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You know it makes sense.
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Been working too hard and missed this one until today. But at the risk of sounding like the long lost Kevin McClean, what on earth do you think you're doing? Why bother bringing a child into the world if you're so desperate to get someone else to bring her up?
Unless you've been born into huge amounts of money, I imagine you're in work most of the time that Grace is awake. Don't you get the urge to spend some time with her occasionally? It's not as if she's going to get any fun out of a skiing holiday at twelve months.
My wife made me give up skiing for 7 years when our kids were too young to enjoy snow sports. I felt pretty fed-up at first, but now I realise that she was absolutely right. Kid's aren't a fashion accessory; they deserve to be put first. Spend time with them while they're young - the mountains will wait for you.
Of course, I might just feel moody because I've been in work preparing a presentation since 8:00am... and it's Sunday and I'm missing the kids 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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yeah Jonny Jones, Keep those kids off the piste! ohh right you didnt mean it quite like that , oops
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Jonny Jones, good one. Who says size doesn't matter: you got a pretty big spirtle young Jonny.
First, of course your stance doesn't allow parents to do anything: summer holiday, winter holiday, parties, cinema, concerts......?
Second, taking your kids skiing when young is not puting them second, but including them. Tom and Rosie enjoyed meeting other kids, playing about in the snow, and probably saw more of their parents during skiing holidays than any of the summer ones.
Thirdly, you gave up skiing for 7 years: I wonder if your kids will ever forgive you for the 3 or 4 missed years of skiing (Rosie started skiing at 4 yrs, Tom at 3 yrs).
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Jonny Jones, Just a short while ago (March 25th) in another thread
you said:
| Quote: |
| If you want joined up childcare, the operator is as important as the resort. We took our three nippers to Tignes with Esprit this year and it's hard to speak too highly of the company. Everyone else in the hotel seemed to share our enthusiasm, too - the childcare was first rate, the food was exceptional for a chalet hotel and, because they're a family-only operator, the kids found loads of friends and we weren't always worrying that they were disturbing some terribly respectable childless types. |
It's late, I may be missing something, but 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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No inconsistency. We waited until our youngest child was 4 and old enough to ski. At that age, he couldn't ski all day and needed childcare in the afternoon so that we were free to ski with my oldest lad. But he was still old enough to benefit from the whole skiing experience.
I'm not saying kids don't enjoy well run childcare - of course they do. I just don't understand why parents don't want to spend every possible moment with their kids. I only pass mine on to someone else if that other person can offer them something I haven't got. I'm not a ski instructor, so I reluctantly pass them over to an expert when they need to learn.
As for summer holiday - we've given up backpacking and do the bucket & spade thing instead. Parties? We put the kids to bed (ourselves) and then go. Days out? Forget hill walking and go to Legoland instead.
Myself, I'd be devastated if any of my children had taken their first steps in the care of a childminder while I was off skiing. Or if they leared to say their childminder's name before they could say 'Daddy'.
Still, I guess a man's gotta do what's most important to him. If skiing matters most, go ski. If your kids matter most then stay at home, get down on your hands and knees and start playing.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Jonny Jones, I think you should check your presentatation once more, just in case it contains the same drivel as in your recent post. A couple of weeks quality time with my wife free from the stress and strain working and bringing up a child will be invaluable for us and ultimately our child. To suggest that putting her in a creche for 3 or 4 hours a day constitutes "someone else bringing her up" is rubbish.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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We all know I'm not particularly maternal and so I can say this quite easily - why on earth shouldn't parents be allowed to enjoy their lives post having children? I know having children is supposed to change your life - not kill it entirely! 
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| Quote: |
| Still, I guess a man's gotta do what's most important to him. If skiing matters most, go ski. If your kids matter most then stay at home, get down on your hands and knees and start playing. |
I reckon one of the biggest problems in the world today is seeing everthing in such black and white, either/or terms, rarely a shade of grey to be found. As ever, in this particular case, there is of course a middle road.
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Jonny, I really can't agree with you.
Obviously life changes when you have children, but I think that it's important that I try and do the things that have always been important to me. Like skiing. I want Beth to add to my life not completely change it. For the next couple of years that means she'll be in a creche when we ski. After that she (or they) will ski with us more and more.
Too many of my friends have allowed parenthood to completely dominate their lives. They don't go on the holidays that they used to, they don't continue with their hobbies. The only thing that they are is parents.
I neither want this nor think it's a good thing for myself, my wife or my child(ren). The only thing my parents had in common as they grew older was the children. They allowed us to become the sole focus of their lives and when we grew up and started moving away (either physically or emotionally) they had nothing in common. I don't want that to happen to us. And I want my children to look at us and see us as people not just as parents.
But everyone has to make their own choices and I'm sure yours was, and will be, the best for you and your family.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I struggle with this one. I'm a parent and I love skiing (my wife has never been so that's a bit simpler) so I go for a long weekend on my own (cheaper, easier, and less time away). I am very grateful that my wife is OK with me doing this and it's a good compromise. But there will come a time when my daughter is old enough to ski as well and then I might take her (after she's had some dry slope lessons at home and I'm sure that she'll enjoy it).
I think that it is important to keep on doing the things that you enjoy etc etc, but I wonder what a child makes of being dragged onto a plane/coach etc and taken to a foreign place and then dropped off at a creche etc only to see the parents at the end of the day when you're all tired? I guess if you have more than one child and then can play together and they are used to going to nursery/childminder then they might understand it better than a child who is looked after full-time by a parent. I find it odd that "family friendly" translates into "parents can get away from the kids". I actually agree with Johnny that kids deserve to be put first and that means compromise. It's very very complex and everyone has their views and this is mine.
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Thanks Chris. I seem to have touched a raw nerve or two here.
To be fair, I'm sure that a couple of weeks in a creche isn't going to traumatise any child. The strange thing is that some parents seem to think that the only thing you need to do with kids is fund their expensive habits; and they're actually glad to see the back of their offspring. I well remember a friend trying to persuade me to go on a Disney cruise who said, "It's great - you don't see the kids from the time they get up to the time they go to bed."
Take the kids on a skiing holiday if you want. But a quick inspection of your motives will do no harm at all.
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FAQ
