 Poster: A snowHead
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We are taking our 2 small girls skiing in a couple of weeks. the eldest (just 6) will have lessons in the morning (she has had 4 months dry slope lessons already & is pretty confident) but in the afternoon she will come with us. I wondered if anybody had any advice for keeping her safe.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Your question has been discussed here often and at length on some occaisions!
Use the search facility (under user facilities to right of page) hours of fun reading that lot 
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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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boredsurfin, thanks for that - I had looked, but could only see advice on ski schools!
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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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rpft@rpft.co.uk, Have a play with the search facility using different key words and slightly broader child related ideas like Nannie's etc.
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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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rpft@rpft.co.uk, where are you going with her?
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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 thought morillon looked good for kids. I just wondered if anybody had skiied with small kids - found a posting (amount 374!) by NickB, but he didn't give details, just that he really enjoyed it. I am a bit of a neurotic mother(!) & so want to make sure that I can keep her safe but make it enjoyable!!
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We have a 4 yr old and a 6 yr old and we have tried them in a few of the kids clubs - they prefer the one at Les Diablerets as it is bigger - more to do. They also love the 7km sledge run there.
For my 6 year old I got a set of reins when first taking him down blue runs as - he gets a bit bent out of shape if he thinks it is high but when he has the reins on he turns into superman - including the diving into the powder at the sides of the piste.... He did his first Blue run on his own at Champery on Thursday.
If I was going on a weeks holiday and wanting the kids to ski with me each day I would take them to Saanermoser, part of Gstaad nice long gentle runs. However I am trying to get them used to nice steeper runs so I can have fun too.
As I am on long wide snowblades I could go down backwards in front of him when he went down the run the first time on his own..... 
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rpft@rpft.co.uk, The main thing is to have srtict rules. The child must NEVER go ahead of the adult their skiing with unless told they can. They must understand that this is not negotiable either! In this way they will follow you. You should also have the rule that the person at the back should tell the person at the front if someone falls over, so they can stop and wait for them. Older kids really like having this position of responsibility! The other important rule is that they must not cry or lie still when they fall over if they're not hurt. that way you'll know if they actually are. As long as these simple rules are adhered to you should have no problem keeping them safe.
Oh - word to the wise - do not help them up when they fall. Tell them what to do by all means, but make sure they do it themselves - most parents help too much and then the child becomes dependent.
Children are very bouncy - don't overstress!!!!
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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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obelix67, For my 6 year old I got a set of reins
thanks for reply - was this when he was six? and could he already ski? she can do buttons - high speed snowplough (or pizza as it is called here?!)
rebecca
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easiski, thanks charlotte, will do all of this. it's difficult not to be neurotic when you can remember your speedy teenage years!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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when I was a kid my dad had to bribe me to do parallels. pretty clever to do them by yourself - must have been watching someone pretty intently!
have found a harness on e-bay & claudia thinks it looks good so cheers for the advice. 
rebecca
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himself I mean - doh!
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You know it makes sense.
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nope he just started - it was the same when I put my wife on snowblades - she just started fell, started fell then slalomed off down the hill not knowing what she was doing but she was doing it great... he was the same - just started doing it....
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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 had rules. One adult at the back, one at the front, kids in the middle. We all learnt to ski together, so did all day lessons for the first couple of times, til we were confident enough to take the kids out ourselves.
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Poster: A snowHead
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hmmm - when we pick the kids up from ski kindergarten - the emotions of that visit normally come through their statement, I had to do what I was told the way it sounds through gritted teeth always makes us smile.
When it is the two of us on the mountain - I go where it makes him most comfortable - in behind on the smoother flatter parts in front on the steeper parts.
Most of the parents I have been skiing with have the kids in front of them so they can stop and make sure they are alright if they fall - not help them up I hasten to add, often to pick up a ski that is further up the slope.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| obelix67 wrote: |
| hmmm - when we pick the kids up from ski kindergarten - the emotions of that visit normally come through their statement, I had to do what I was told the way it sounds through gritted teeth always makes us smile. |
I always hated that as school as well, phrases such as "whilst you have the correct answer you aren't supposed to know how to do it that way yet so I'm marking it as a fail" (maths teacher) and "you're not here to learn, you're here to be taught" (duputy headmaster to the entire school during one of his rants) still make my teeth grate.
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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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My mother is a head mistress - I often reflect back and I am amazed she lived through my teenage years.
one of those dumb times at school .... My French teacher wouldnt let me put my broken and leaking pen in the bucket - so I threw it out of the window, hit the janitor on the head, for which I got 6 of the belt which split open both my wrists....then the deputy heads car one day got painted in red lead paint a number of us were suspects. 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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rpft@rpft.co.uk, we took a 4 year old and a just turned 5 year old with us for the first time this year to Les Gets. They had lessons in the morning and came with us in the afternoon, they had never had skis on before. The first couple of days we expected a bit too much from them, looking back they hadn't grasped what they had to do. All of a sudden it seemed to click and they just went from strength to strength. The last couple of days in the afternoon they came with us higher into the mountains, they had good control by then being able to turn, control speed and stop. We kept them to blues and always made sure we had adults both front and rear, we went with a reasonable sized group. We had a couple of 'hairy' moments on the learner slopes earlier in the week when both at times seemed to forget what to do and 'hurtled off' straight before one of us managed to stop them or they had a 'sit down'. It was a good learning experience for us all, including trying to take a small child on a drag lift with the attendant explaining what to do in French (obviously) and a queue behind! The one thing to watch is fatigue, it's a long day for small children, especially after morning lessons. We perhaps at times thought they could continue for longer than they could and next time will make sure they have more regular breaks. It was great skiing with them though, we had lots of fun.
I loved being able to take them onto the mountains, we think we did a reasonable job and were very sensible but it was great not to be dictated to. If the Alps were in this country you'd have to have qualifications coming out of your ears and sign your life away before you'd be able to take young children anywhere near mountains like that. They'd be barriers everywhere and it'd be a right saga! A refreshing change to be treated like an adult with full responsibility that comes with it!
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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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| Quote: |
If the Alps were in this country you'd have to have qualifications coming out of your ears and sign your life away before you'd be able to take young children anywhere near mountains like that.
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I don't know about that. Lots of people take their kids up mountains in the UK and the Cairngorms kill people. And you can buy a big yacht and take it out to sea, full of kids, without the slightest idea how to sail it, or any life jackets, flares etc. That would not be allowed in France where both the skipper and the boat have to be qualified/licenced/equipped for the kind of sailing involved.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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But the alps are in this country and a couple of others 
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pam w, I'm talking about a controlled area like a lift and piste system, not a full mountain range, that would be impossible to police. Bloody hell chill out! Just a bit of a remark about how it's slowly turning into a nanny state here, unless you're yachting.........better shut up or I'll get told off again
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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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Grimsby Ranger, thanks for reply - v. interesting. claudia has just skiied(?) for 2 hours (dry slope in norwich) and she is exhausted - so your point about fatigue is key I think. worse today as it is freezing here. I feel more confident now about the skiing - I know most stuff is common sense, but other peoples experiences are always helpful. thanks all - and OBELIX67 - where ON EARTH did you go to school???!!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Aberdeen - a wonderful place - the ramifications of revenge attacks after being very giving with corporal punishment
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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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| rpft@rpft.co.uk wrote: |
| claudia has just skiied(?) for 2 hours (dry slope in norwich) and she is exhausted |
Our youngster (4 1/2) had to be almost litterally dragged off the dry slope in Birmingham last night. Started skiing at the same time as the Junior ski club at 6.30pm, and continued into the adult session afterways and was still going strong (very strong!) at 9.30pm. Took most of the journey home until he fell asleep, so obviously still had some energy.
A few weeks ago, he skied 13 days consecutively: two hours the morning and two in the afternoon - not easy skiing either, and still had enough energy for swimming in the evening. We've come to the conclusion his duracells have been replaced by a generator  .
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You know it makes sense.
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RobW, clauds perked up just after I wrote that comment and started dismantling the living room!
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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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Curtains,
I skied with them in the morning from 0945 - 1145 with a break half way, lunch then a private lesson for 1 1/2 hours from 12:45 ( this worked out the same as 4 hours ski school for them both so not too expensive )
this is a good idea! they could ski with someone other than esf too....
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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RobW, great pics - our 3 1/2 yr old has an expression like that most of the time - what type of camera did you use??
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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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Camera is a Fuji Finepix 4700 Zoom. Must be getting on for 5 years old nowadays, but can still take some great pictures and is pretty solid: last year it survived youngster dropping it down stairs!
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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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RobW, I bought the Fuji Finepix 6900 zoom and it has lasted quite well too - I should really replace the battery
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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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we've got an olympus with great spec, but if you take a pic of the girls - they are generally out of the shot by the time the shutter goes! lots of empty pics
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| obelix67 wrote: |
| Fuji Finepix 6900 ... - I should really replace the battery |
One thing I like about the 4700 is that it uses standard AA batteries, so having a few extra sets of NiMH rechargables around is quite easy, unlike many cameras which seem to use custom-size batteries. I have been half-heartedly looking at a replacement for the 4700, as occasionally it does get stuck when powering on. Haven't decided yet: key requirements are AA batteries, minimum 3X optical zoom, optical viewfinder. and decent-sized LCD - I accept that my Smartmedia cards I won't be able to re-use! Any ideas?
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rpft@rpft.co.uk, if you 6 yo has had some lessons and enjoyed it and got on well, s/he'll be skiing like the clappers in a day or two. Please don't use reins unless you wish to wreck the mother/child relationship for ever. Easiski's advice fits in exactly with my experience of skiing in mixed age/ability groups; have a leader (no overtaking) and a sweeper up. Warn them of the dangers, mainly collisions I suppose, and hope for the best.
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richmond, I had been pondering this one, because obelix also said that he liked to vary where his son skied depending on confidence etc., and this seems like good sense - i think you're right that she will be confident quickly. and if the ground rules are laid out initially hopefully she will develop good common sense about skiing, (which I think is crucial for safety & responsible skiing) says she who skied like a nutter (pre-kids).
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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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easiski's & your advice about leader & sweeper upper is how we will ski - making it clear she can only go ahead of an adult under agreement.
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rpft@rpft.co.uk, unless your kid is unusual, she'll ski like a nutter at some stage. My son quickly reached that stage, before his technique matched his aspirations, and he was a danger to himself and others (he was characterised in a ski school log book as 'nuts', leading a friend of ours to ask if he had an allergy). After many bollockings and a couple of near misses, he calmed down a bit. His technique now matches his aspirations more closely, and he's fine. His twin sister has just started to ski pretty hard, but having a keen sense of self preservation, she has waited until she has the technique.
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FAQ
I have no idea where the parallel turns have gone - but they have 
for now.
just got to learn what goes with what 
Didn't think the tongue in cheek remark would be taken so seriously 
Am I getting the hang of these things yet ? 
