 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello All,
If anyone can advise I would be most appreciative. Family of four going to Alpe D'Huez in a few weeks - first time skiing as a family and now that it is drawing near we are TRYING to be as organised as poss. So, with our lack of experience ... here goes.
My husband has skiid before as a teenager and seems fairly confident that he will be leaving the rest of us novices behind in a puff of powder. I have NEVER skiied and although I am very excited about it and been going to the gym religiously to build up stamina I am still a little wary about just how much of this holiday I am going to enjoy and just how much I am going to spend falling on my a**e.
OK, I'm ranting. My first question is... a one year old (going in to the First Choice creche all day)... sunglasses??? are you kidding me. tried to get him to even put them near his face...it is not happening at all. Help. Also, I feel a little guilty about leaving the little sprog by himself (OK, in a reputable creche facility with many other sprogs) all week.
Erm, other questions I have are... Goggles or sunglasses for a four year old?
Will a four year old need her own back pack with drinks, suncream etc for the ski school/ day time?
Mittens or gloves for a four year old ... or does it make no difference whatsoever (I suspect so)?
Has anyone done the Learn 2 Ski programme in Alpe D'Huez (with first choice) is it a morning thing or an all day thing. I rang the call centre and they couldn't tell me. They couldn't even tell me if it was for five or six days.
Any help would be great.
Lucy.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hi
Having skied with 3 children (now teenagers,) since they were the ages your kids are this is what i would do. buy the one year old sunglasses. Might not wear them for you but when he sees all the others wearing them at the creche he'll wear them too. He will need them. They may only go out in the snow for half an hour in the morning and again in the afternoon but their eyes do need protection.
As for the four year old put sun screen on as you leave them, buy a little squeezy tube of the stuff for them and stick it in his/hers coat pocket. They'll watch the others and learn to put it on themselves. Buy sunglasses better protection against the sun. Goggles will steam up when they get hot and bothered!! unless you can afford very expensive ones, which as first time skiers forget it....... IN FACT PAY AS LITTLE AS POSS FOR THE KIDS STUFF, it won't fit them next year, and they won't remember to come back from ski school with everything! No water ski school will provide drinks and nibbles for them. Well they did when mine were small.
Mittens or gloves? I had one that would only where gloves and two that wanted mittens. Only difference is when they are small is that mittens are easier for them to get on and off themselves
Have a great time
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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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Loobyloo77, welcome to snowHeads 
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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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Now that C&A is no longer, and ski stuff expensive I will agree, although I did buy goggles for my little ones (years ago) for the bad weather days (boy was I glad, it snowed every day except one). Goggles should still fit next year though, so if you can find some reasonably priced ones fair enough. A couple of euros in her pocket for the hot chocolate (I forgot once and kids didn't get a drink because of it) will be better than snacks and drinks. The chalet hosts or nannies will be able to tell you better though.
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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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Decathlon is good for bargain ski gear.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Loobyloo77, is you OH taking lessons? If not, he could maybe demonstrate his superiority by coping with all the kids stuff, as well as roaring round the mountain, leaving you to concentrate on enjoying yourself?
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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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Can I add that its wise to buy some small packets of sweets for the 4yr old...... especially chocolate. They will need the sugar for energy.... we took our son skiing when he was 3 and he was in ski school every morning.......was on the button lift and skiing unaided by the end of the week. We would have a couple of packets of sweets in our pockets for those tearful moments and also, when he started whining and we were waiting for food at lunchtime.
He wore goggles....and a helmet. He called it Mr Helmetman and we made a real game of wearing the gear on the snow. We tried gloves but bought mittens in the end..... kept his fingers so much warmer and there was no fiddling about trying to get the gloves on and juggle skis, poles etc etc....
We took small cartons of orange juice with us in the suitcase and we would have it in our backpack....he rarely wanted a drink during the lesson. He didnt have his own backpack...
As for cheap gear..... try TK Maxx or Argosadditions on line..... we bought B's first ski jacket from the clothes section of Argos and it was fine. Did him for the first two years. Oher than that, it was just layers and layers of stuff depending on the weather every day!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks all... great info. Sarah, Yes we are at the Petit Prince I have read nothing but good stuff about the creche so I am just being paranoid I guess about leaving him. It would be great to hear from anyone who has done the 'Learn 2 Ski' as I am utterly clueless.
Cheers
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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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Just got back with my kids (2, 4, 6), none of them would wear glasses while skiing (because they hurt their ears when their helmet was on) so we needed goggles for skiing (no problems with cheap Cebe goggles misting up) and glasses, for wearing when sledging and in restaurants etc.
As sarah, said mittens keep hands warmer so would be better for lthe littlest ones. Get some with elastic (or put some on) so you can thread it down their sleeves - stops them losing their gloves and is less for them to hold while carrying their skis.
Asda often have cheap ski gear too.
I also bought loads of good cheap second hand stuff on ebay (ski suit, gloves and snowboots).
We used Boots Once factor 40 on my kids all last week (sunny every day) and didn't need to be re-apply it during the day, giving me one less thing to worry about when were in lessons as there's no way they'd have remembered to do it themselves. They are all fair skinned and didn't catch the sun at all.
Have a great time! 
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You know it makes sense.
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Helen Beaumont, you'll just have to come and visit Sheffield then 
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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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FAQ
I am sure he will have a great time in the creche my friend is putting her one year old and three year old in it in three weeks time (if it's the Petit Prince??) and so I could report back if that's in time before you go??
. Apparently no-one up here goes skiing.
tips and free instruction. You will need a strategy to deal with this...
