 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
@cameronphillips2000, don't give yourself credit for touching "raw nerves". You were indeed rude and judgemental. In my experience, which is extensive, quality of parenting is not income-related.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
@bagginsmum, +1
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
We went to Montgenevre last half term and it wasn't too busy. Really nice resort and great for kids - lots of green runs into the village. Just a thought!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
My kids (4 and 51/2) started in Flaine, but really got the bug in Puy St Vincent. Snowbizz do a self drive there.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
There is nothing, in my opinion, like skiing with your kids... Once they've got the basics! And the only way they'll get the basics is by having lessons.
My wife and I made an attempt to teach them at the Lecht ourselves, and after 30mins we retreated for a hot chocolate and got them a private lesson for a couple of hours. By the end of that they could ski. If we'd stuck at it, they'd have been put off for life!
When we then went to the alps a month later, they went in for the mornings and then we'd have a little ski with them after lunch until they'd had enough. By the 4th day, our son, who is the older one, wanted to, and did, ski all afternoon. Our daughter would announce when her 'ski legs' were tired. Cute.
Last year, the second year, they'd ski all afternoon with us. This year, we'll repeat the same as they love ski school and then skiing with us. As long as they want to keep learning, we'll get them lessons. Anyway, it allows my wife and I to be all middle class and go off and pound the kilometers, selfishly and in an emotionally retarded fashion...
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
I have always been a nervous skier so there was absolutely no point us trying to teach our son the basics. Even at the age of 3 he was head strong and wouldn't follow simple instructions from 'just' his parents. Our son has Aspergers. My husband would ski with B between his knees just for fun time, so that B could feel the speed on skis, his little smiley face, pink rosy cheeks is still a great memory. Seeing B playing with other children, on an equal footing on the ski slopes was wonderful as he was bullied badly for being 'different' at school. So I have NO regrets putting him into ski school, ever. He learnt the correct techniques, had fun and last year in Alpe D'Huez scored his first proper girlfriend by being gentlemanly on the slopes and helping a lass who was learning herself; he helped her up when she fell and then spent the afternoon skiing with her, showing her snowplough etc...with his Aspergers he loves rules and skiing techniques and its precision appeal to him big time. As for being middle classed ha ha ha ha. I own a caravan...  my mates reckon that makes me too pikey to be middle classed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Took it a bit too seriously then...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Joking about us emotionally retarded middle class brits aside (We're all middle class on here is we're on a ski forum) here are some tips for taking kids and teaching them. I speak as someone who led quite a few ski trips as a teacher and have taken my own kids and booked them into ski schools so I could go off and be selfish etc.
Choose a resort where you can get down from the top on easy runs. The weakest skiers get a real sense of achievement from getting to the top of the mountain and they get to see the views.
Watch the ski school and get your money's worth. There are many out there who simply say 'follow me' and teach very little. I've had a few instructors lose children on the mountain and had to have instructors swapped.
Children pick up skiing more quickly than managing ski kit and clothing. Check they have everything each time you stop for lunch etc. Lost property at ski resorts are full of kids gloves, hats, poles etc.
Don't put your child on a drag lift until you've checked it out all the way up. Some drags increase in steepness and falling off in the wrong place can be very dangerous for small child. Getting them back down can be death defying!
They will drop things of value off lifts -Don't know the answer to this one.
Sledging is very dangerous as they can't steer, particularly at night when the ruts freeze over
Tell them stand up on drag lifts. They always sit down on their first attempts.
Sallopettes and jackets are easier for toilet stops than all in ones
Choose routes without flat bits. Younger kids ski without poles and pulling them along is hard work. Avoid La Plagne for this
Go with at least two pairs of gloves per child - they will get very wet
Be careful on chairlifts - Children can slip between the bar and the seats.
Don't buy them anything expensive- they wreck it or outgrow it.
Try and find a resort with fairly high nursery slopes. Walking about in slush is tiring -no matter how many life-size squirrels and bears they put around the place
I think the best resort I've ever taken children is Civetta in Italy. Andalo is also great. Pal and Arinsal in Andorra are also great for kids. If you can afford it the upmarket resorts like Megeve and Lech are also great as they are designed to make everything easy with as little trekking or walking up stairs as possible.
To be honest, the skiing is usually the easy bit. It's getting on of of boots and carrying skis to the lifts that and all that nonsense where it becomes a bit tiresome.
I know it's sexist but, in my opinion, female instructors are better with kids. Male instructors are, more often than not, there to look cool, rather than teach anyone to ski....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
