 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all,
Would welcome your thoughts and feedback.
I've got a family ski weekend booked for a large group (25 and counting) for Easter 2016, and have been approached by another family who would like to come along. The problem is that their two children (9 and 7) are complete beginners where as all the other kids (10 of the blighters) have skied at least 3 - 4 weeks and are fairly comfortable on blues and reds. We do plan to arrange a private instructor for this group but more as a guide / instructor in the dark arts (skiing backwards / jumps etc) that us grownups are to unskilled / unnerved to lead.
Am I right in trying to warn this new family that perhaps a weekend is possibly not the best arena for kids to learn, especially when figuring in the cost of a private instructor, limited piste time of 4 days and seeing their friends speeding off each morning without them. I'm suggesting they could probably spend the same amount on a dedicated ski week for them to include a full week of lessons etc and then come with us the following year.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Am I right in trying to warn this new family that perhaps a weekend is possibly not the best arena for kids to learn, especially when figuring in the cost of a private instructor, limited piste time of 4 days and seeing their friends speeding off each morning without them.
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Yes,I think you're quite right to warn them of that. They might still want to join you all, of course..... but it's important the kids are under no illusion that they will be able to ski with the others. Your experienced kids will have a ball with their private instructor - good idea.
I have a big group planned for Easter too - with 8 - 9 kids of different ages and ski ability. Provided there's good snow near the accommodation (which is probable) experience tells me that they'll have a lot of fun playing in the snow together, and toboganning. But they won't be able to ski together.
And absolutely vital that all parents are responsible for their own kids. That doesn't rule out taking turns etc etc. But nobody should expect to be able just to ski off and treat the rest of the group as "childcare".
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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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@reded78, easter is some time off, they could get lessons here before they go ?
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But they won't catch up with kids who have done 3 or 4 weeks. And in our group, the holiday is a fair financial stretch for a number of the participants. They wouldn't want to be shelling out for lessons (which in snowdomes are expensive) and petrol costs in advance. I'm sure the kids will all have fun - they just won't all be able to have lessons together.
In our area the ESI has started some new "mini team" group lessons for kids, with only 5 in a group, to run in peak weeks. Unfortunately, in France, that doesn't include the Easter holidays but private lessons for a small number can be quite good value.
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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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Agree with the above - and yes the kids loved having a private instructor (he pretty much did what ever the kids wanted and fitted the instruction around snowparks etc.) and the cost is very reasonable when split between a number of kids / families, but when only between to siblings I can imagine it soon mounts up.
I was surprised that I struggled to find much else on this subject on Snowheads or elsewhere, maybe I just wasn't searching for the correct terms, but I think it's something that parents should be aware of when thinking of taking kids away for the weekend especially if they don't have a great deal of experience themselves. The family in question thought that there would be a mass of instructors available to suit they're time frames and were surprised at the costs involved.
I'm sure they would have a great time but not sure they would get out of it as much as a full week dedicated to beginner lessons.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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The family in question thought that there would be a mass of instructors available to suit they're time frames and were surprised at the costs involved.
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 well, to be honest, it's not exactly rocket science to look at a few ski school websites, is it?
Are the parents already skiers?
To be even more honest, if they are that dopey, do you really want the responsibility of including them in your group? It sounds as though it might be all your fault if it goes wrong.
And yes, they'd get a lot more out of a whole week dedicated to beginner lessons. Or maybe they think you learn to ski in a weekend?
In our area private lessons are not available at all times of the day, and at busy times all instructors can be booked up well in advance.
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