 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi.
We are a family of six: me, four kids aged 7 to 12 (all keen), and a mum who is a bit less keen.
None of us have ever skied. But we'd like to go the Alps this Easter and give it a go.
My idea is that we could have a private lessons together, just for an hour or two a day.
Would this work? Would instructors be happy to teach us this way?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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First time we went as a family skiing we did dry ski slope lessons (think it was course of six) adults and children separately. Then on our ski holiday we did all day group lessons. Again children and adults seperately me and my sister were in the same lesson and mum and dad seperately. I do think children and adults learn differently. Also the peer pressure aspect of being with other children pushed me to do things I would have been worried to try if I had just been with my family, it also made it much more fun.
We finally skied together on the last day only.
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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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Parents and kids in separate lessons if I was organising it. All day lessons are quite hard work, especially for beginners. I would have separate lessons in the mornings and ski together in the afternoons.
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Agree...separate lessons for the kids and adults. Hate to say it, but the kids will probably learn more quickly than their parents, and, though I'm no instructor, I think the teaching style will differ. If you can get some indoor snow slope lessons before you go, you might enjoy it and make progress more quickly. Don't want to be accused of sexism but "Less keen Mum" may be more cautious than dad and/or the kids (am female and know sometimes women are more freaked out by the steeper slopes-all down to the natural sense of self preservation!) and some pre holiday lessons, such as "learn to ski in a day" at a snowdome will shake out some of three nerves. (Note-you can't learn to ski in a day, but it helps build confidence and learn some basics).
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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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An hour or two won't cut it. I would recommend separate group lessons. Usually 2.5 hours a day. Get recommendations for a top ski school with guaranteed small groups. Two lots of private lessons would be expensive and I feel groups can be more fun and relaxed. Especially for the less keen one. If doing privates 1.5 hours a day would be good but you'll not be able to do much "skiing together " till towards the end of the week.
Where are you going?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@BluePig, welcome to Snowheads 
To answer your questions....yes you could get a private lesson for the 6 of you for 1-2 hours a day. And it could work.
However my advice to you would be to put the 4 children in a kids beginner group and put the two of you in an adult beginner group.
Please try to find a ski school with a good reputation, who have small groups and ideally with native english speaking instructors (assuming you are of course!). This is really important especially for the mum who is less keen or you may find that less keen becomes gives up!! If you tell us where you are going we may be able to offer some specific recommendations. Good luck.
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I had a few private lessons, just my daughter and me. It doesn't work that well for the reasons given above. Also you tend to worry too much about your kids rather than your own skiing. She picked up 80% or so, me about 50% 
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Another vote for separate group lessons. Children really do learn differently.
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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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for example, instructors tend to get kids skiing backwards - they love being able to show off to their parents about it, not least because adults are not so likely to be willing to try it, so the kids can feel clever!
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Welcome to SH's & Snowsports.
If everyone wants to ski, not board: I'd book a Private lesson or 2 for the whole family at your local snowdome before you go, it will give you the fun of taking those priceless first steps together, it will also demonstrate how you will learn at different rates, you will then have an idea what lessons to book in resort.
As above +1 English speaking
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I haven't taught a family of 'never-evers' but most of my customers are mixed ability family groups taking all-day private lessons.
One family group ranges from 14 years of age grandaughter through to 88 years of age grandfather, and green run ability (the 88 year old) to all-conditons, all terrain skiing (14 year old).
They enjoy skiing together and they're very respectful of each other. Something that can be missing in a group lesson with people you don't know.
They enjoy spending the holiday together and get a real buzz out of seeing each other have fun and improve.
I would say it depends on your family dynamic and the instructor you choose / get assigned.
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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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@Mike Pow, I would suggest that there is a massive difference between 14yr old and 7yr old. Especially When it comes to learning to ski.
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| NickyJ wrote: |
| @Mike Pow, I would suggest that there is a massive difference between 14yr old and 7yr old. Especially When it comes to learning to ski. |
Not during the first lesson or so. I've taught several family groups of never evers at Hemel. Always been fun n usually productive for the group, who usually help each other more than a standard group of strangers.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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We have shared lessons as a family but not as beginners. The first time we did that, I was still better than DS (only one week more of skiing than DS) but since then he kept improving and I can't keep up with him anymore! Last year, hubby, myself and DS shared a lesson for the first time and it actually worked but we had a very good instructor who was very experienced and accomodating. Even hubby (who has been skiing over 20 years) enjoyed it and said he learnt something! But we only did that for one session as I was slowing down DS!
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Poster: A snowHead
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The presence of parents can be distracting for children and undermine the authority of a ski instructor and during lessons kids should be in no doubt about who is the boss. Children also often learn faster than adults, so they will get bored if they see parents still struggling with a snowplough. Another thing is when none of you is a skier yet as parents you might be worried excessively about your kids doing what you might be a bit cautious doing yourself and create yet another distraction. But in any case it's worth contacting a ski school/recommended instructor and see what they say. It may work in the end but you need to think about all possible factors that can work both for and against it.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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It depends more on the family dynamics I think than actual ski ability or experience. If you are the sort to laugh at yourselves and have fun together regardless it could work really well, but if anyone is overly competitive or critical of others then it could be horrible.
I've taken shared private lessons with my kids at various stages, which usually works well once the instructor knows what the focus is, and I've taught a family group just like you describe, except the kids were 11-16. It didn't work for the Mum, who was super nervous, and she chose to take one to one lessons for a few days, but it was great for the rest of them.
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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 used to teach families and kids to ski. Skiing is about having fun. As a family it didnt matter who did well or good it mattered they enjoyed themselves safely. And nothing encoraged kids more than being able to show mum and dad how good they were at skiing. Also from a safety perspective they will have to ski together on a vaction so they might as well learn together.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thanks for your replies. Very interesting.
Things got a bit hectic and I had to leave looking at our trip.
Now thinking that we could squeeze something in the week after Easter. Driving from near London. So thinking maybe of Flaine, where we could use the free greens? (We're on a budget.)
Unless someone knows somewhere we could stay a bit higher?
The idea is to make this a fun holiday. Build a snowman, have a snowball fight, do a bit of skiing, maybe a toboggan run... And eat melted cheese for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
I did plenty of trips as a snowboarder before I had kids, but I want to introduce the family gently. No pressure. No getting up early to make a ski school. We like to do stuff together.
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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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@BluePig, Esprit emailed me this morning with some good prices for the week beginning 12th April and 5th april. The advantage of them is there will be other children to play with in the hotels, and also the room setups are good for familys.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Have a look at travelski.com - the "packages" with accommodation, ski pass and ski hire can be very good value.
e.g. €300 (not pounds) per head for accommodation ski pass and ski hire. That's Risoul.
Further to drive than somewhere like Flaine - but quite a lot cheaper.
Alternatively you might get a good "last minute deal" to somewhere like Tignes but snow in many resorts is going to be questionable by then so the higher, well known, more snowsure, resorts are likely to be in demand.
Private lessons at lunchtime might be good because the snow will be best then (icy in the morning, slushy in the afternoons in late season).
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FAQ
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