 Poster: A snowHead
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I've got four boys, all at school, and taking out of term isn't feasible.
Youngest is 5, eldest 14, even spread in between.
We're planning for next year, and this year managed our first driving experience, mainly to avoid the ridiculous cost of brochure prices during the half term week. We stayed in Flaine, but this time only took two boys, with the other two staying with an aunt in the UK.
We want to all go next year, but there's a complication - our 11 year old has Down's Syndrome, and whilst we have every expectation that he'll progress well in a morning ski school (he's already getting the hang of things on the dry slope) a whole day of skiing would be too much for him, and we're a little concerned that booking him into "bog standard" kids club might mean that he doesn't get quite the best out of the holiday.
So we're looking at potentially using a private nanny service for the week - perhaps for the walk to ski school, and then pick up afterwards and (possibly) pick up his younger brothers too if they are not keen on a full day's skiing - thus leaving myself and SWMBO plus our eldest to selfishly ski for the day!!
Flaine was fine for us this year, and whilst we're being experimental with taking the whole family we'd rather do a "better the devil you know" in terms of accommodation / resort etc.
Trouble is, no-one seems to provide that service in Flaine.
Any pointers? Or suggestions for alternative ways to think about it?
Cheers!
Matt
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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larkim, why not try Morzine or Les Gets, I know this company are gaining an excellent reputation http://www.snowangelnannies.co.uk/ . Still a shortish drive from the UK, and the service you want is available.
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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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I've seen lots of kids with downs skiing with the disability ski group I ski with. Some manage really well, some less so. Have you thought of taking a grandparent or similar
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Cheers guys. Granddad actually skis with us too (I'd left him off for shorthand!), and grandma isn't nimble enough on feet to do the job unfortunately. We had tried to wrack our brains to think of someone who could come with us, but we just don't seem to know anyone that would fit the bill (available half term, happy to live in with us, doesn't want to ski).
Flaine is a good option as the apartments we stayed in last time have big appts available for just a couple of £'00 more, and the Terrasses de Veret had a pool too which would be ideal.
I've come across snowAngels too, and that's plan B at the moment - just not familiar with Morzine or Les Gets so was trying to be a little conservative with our choices!
I'll take a look though - thanks!
Matt
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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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Ok an alternative would be to take a nanny from the uk. When I ran nurseries we had quite a few staff do this for families from the nursery. There are agencies as well who do temps. Ok so you would have to accommodate them and in an ideal world give them a chance for some skiing but the big plus is you get to suss them out, your boy gets to know them and you are guaranteed good enough English etc. does your 11 year old go to special or mainstream school? What about approaching a TA you like at school? Or you could try your local college and ask the head of the DCE course if anyone would be interested? Even a uni that offers teacher training? If you let me know roughly where you are I can give you some pointers for best places to contact.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Sorry Matt you made the comment doesn't want to ski for someone that could come with you but surely they could get a couple of hours in in the morning with the option of more if your boys are up to it or just skiing the nursery slopes with the boys after a decent lunch etc? I guess it all depends on your boys but a friend whose sone has downs (now 19 so not quite the same issues) used to take a TA from school. She skied every day but checked with the instructors where they were going and would arrange to meet at the chocolate break and then follow the lesson until lunchtime, feed the kids and depending on how they were go for a short ski with them in the afternoon. Just another thought...what about someone from the dry slope?
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All helpful suggestions thanks!!
I guess we'd rather have our apartment to ourselves and don't want to be burdened by accommodating someone else's skiing needs at the expense of ours in the event that one of our kiddies really doesn't want to ski that day. We had a taster of that this year when the 8 year old twisted his knee and had to take a few days off, needing supervision.
I'd sort of imagined that all resorts would have at least one or two nannies available throughout the season, but I guess somewhere like Flaine isn't particularly high end nor does it have much in the way of pleasant living accommodation!!
Cheers!
Matt
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Larkim
You could look up the MMV hotel in Flaine. We have stayed in a MMV hotel in another resort and these hotels are all inclusive and child friendly. They also offer children's clubs but I'm not sure if they have afternoon childcare. You would need to check.
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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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In Chamonix the local tourist office has a list of available nannies, these range from seasonaires who 'like kids' to local residents with all the relevant quals. Might be worth ringing the Flaine office to see if they do similar.
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Ok then Matt as you have quite a bit of time why not contact the tourist office, see if they know of anyone? They should be able to give you contact details of the local colleges and you could try them or contact the kids club direct and see if they have anyone. I suspect being a peak week it will be tricky to get the flexibility you are after without taking someone from the uk with you though. Good luck.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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larkim, I live in Les Gets and it's wonderfully set up for small children. Slope access is really easy, if you wanted you could happily ski back to the village, have lunch all together and then be straight back up the mountain agin. Just in case you can't find anything in Flaine rest assured that you'll be able to make your way around Les Gets very easily.
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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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You could try advertising on www.alpine-child-care.co.uk. You'll need to decide how many hours you actually want, how many of the boys you want someone for, are they needing to cook/feed etc. if you want someone to take to ski school, pick up and or be available in the morning if they don't do ski school it looks like you would have to pay for full time.
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You know it makes sense.
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andyrew, yes those nannies definitely need a good servicing 
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