 Poster: A snowHead
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My will be 2 and a bit next year when I'm looking at going boarding.
Is that too young to take him with me? I wouldn't want him stuck in a creche all day and would hopefully get him on some Ski's (if possible)
Any advice would be great.
Cheers
Russ
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Probably a bit young to start skiing, but the creches some places have snowplay and sleds or bumboarding.
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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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russ_e, First ski holiday with kids was when my youngest was 2. My older 2 (aged 5 and 8 at the time) went skiing. Last year we put him in ski school aged 4 and was probably even then still a wee but young - got tired. Our first two family ski holidays were with Crystal and he went in creche both times - can't really say I was impressed as they tended to spend the bulk of their time attending to the really young ones (9 month olds etc). As a result they spent most of the day inside, which let's face it is criminal given the surroundings. We now go independent. Esprit does get a very good rep though.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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All depends on the kid. FWIW, our kids first came on ski hol with us at age (just) 4. They did a bit of skiing, an hour or so a day, quite enjoyed it. The following year they started to get to grips with skiing, and the next year, aged (just) 6 they were in ski school all day they and haven't looked back (literally in the case of my son). I know that some kids have started much earlier and some have not taken to it until they were older.
Stamina is important; little kids are unlikely to be up to the physical demands of snowsports for anything other than short periods. Our kids were in creches for their first couple of hols; both offered short lessons (no more than half or 3/4 hour actual skiing) once or twice a day, if the kids fancied it, which worked very well. If you're not going to use a creche or have a carer with you, you'll need to do lots of snowballing, toboganning, drinking hot choc and so on. My guess is that at 2, your nipper won't be spending much time on skis each day, but you never know. I suspect that a lot will depend on your skills as a 'teacher' (mine are non existent).
On another thread someone extolled the virtues of N.America for child care in ski resorts, and I'd definitely agree with that.
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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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Some good advice, seems I am a little eager to get him out there.
I didn't think about going the States, the flight might put me off though. We are hopefully going to Lapland at christmas so I might wait and see if he like being outside in the snow.
Thanks again
Russ
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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russ_e, that would be my guess. Our kids would have got little out of a ski hol at that age (we left them behind, although not on their own), but kids are different. There snowHeads who have had their kids on black runs before they (the kids) were out of nappies, I think.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Thu 22-01-09 15:31; edited 1 time in total
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we have been taking ours since 9 months old
first trip crystal -ok - but then he was the only one in so got taken out a lot
however since he has been going with Esprit he spends at least half the time out side
he is now 4/5 and has been out to ski lessons for three trips
last trip ( over xmas) A typical day was
bumboarding, igloo building , snowball throwing , snacks , painting , indoor football, followed by an after noon ski school ( next year i think i am going to join him)
some will say that leaving them is a shame - but after you have been told to go - or rushed in the morning because you are going to be late for snow club, or ( after second week of school) being asked , can i go to snow club instead !!
you soon realise that they can have a lot of fun, and with esprit - i have foud no problems in taking them for the day or even just a couple of hours for some fun with the family.
4 is a bit young for more than just play skiing and then only for a couple of hours, but we have been warned that once he gets to 5 !! ( and thats next year )
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Just don't with First Choice it seems - this thread stirred up a right hornet's nest!!!
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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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thanks again folks, may reconsider leaving him in a creche closer to the time. He has only just mastered walking (still looks like he is drunk though) but hopefully by next year he will be talking 
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The note of caution is that mine were 3 and 5 when they started - I wish I'd kept it a bit later as now they are 6 and 8, they are better than me !!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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We went skiing when the wife was 8 weeks pregnant and she skied................. 
and have taken later 3 kids for 4 years now. Youngest was 3 3/4 when he first went. A week in the snow, its never to early to take a kid skiing.
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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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We are taking our 8 month old in February 
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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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Your kid is better than my other half!
I might just take him late season and see how he gets on. If he doesn't like it then we will spend a week building snowmen.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Taking the kids, what age...? Glitter prefers 11 to 15 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I have a controversial view on this that tends to result in lots of angry replies whenever I express it. But here it is, nevertheless.
We chose not to take our kids skiing until they could ski. A few years off the slopes didn't harm us, and we had loads of great family holidays that centred on stuff that wasn't white and slippery. We wanted to spend time with our kids, not leave them behind in a creche so we could have fun without them.
Of course, you can't ski with your kids when they're first starting to learn - they need skilled instruction. But, if they're old enough, you can try a couple of easy slopes with them before and after ski school and that makes for a load of family fun. And when they're a bit more confident - after 1-2 weeks on the slopes - the real fun starts, as you can give them 2-3 days of ski school and spend the rest of the holiday skiing as a family. OK, you have to pass on black runs for a year or two, and you have to keep stopping to hunt for tissues and missing gloves. But that's parenthood, and you'll have memories to last a lifetime. I certainly don't regret missing a little skiing time and investing it with my kids instead.
So when can they learn? My youngest was just 4 when we started, and he was a little too young. Some 4 year olds are up for it, but he didn't have the stamina to ski for more than two hours a day and he became tearful with frustration at his slow progress. But the trip was worthwhile because his older brothers had such a good time.
If I were you, I'd put the brochures to one side for a couple of years and stick to dreaming about snow. Grit your teeth and book a trip to Disney instead (yes, it's awful - but kids don't notice). Or spend some time crabbing on a rocky Pembrokeshire beach. Or just go to the play area in your local park. Your lad will have more fun if you're around. Unless, of course, you spend so little time with him that he's not sure who you are.
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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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| Jonny Jones wrote: |
| We chose not to take our kids skiing until they could ski. |
Bit of a Catch 22 there, surely. Good wheeze for stopping your kids going skiing, I suppose.
'No, sorry, you can't go, you won't enjoy it because you can't ski. Of course, as soon as you can manage a blue run competently, you're welcome to ski'.
Come to think of it, 'Jonny' isn't an abbreviation for 'Jones', is it, and your middle name isn't also Jones, by any chance?
Obviously, to each her/his own, but as will be apparent from another thread, most people don't see the problem with using creche or other facilities to enable parents to ski before their kids are old enough to join in. I am very sceptical about whether such young kids appreciate holidays of any sort as holidays. They're just playing, eating, crapping in their clothing, as usual; the pleasure is that of the parents. If you can't bear to be parted from your kids while you ski, then obviously that solution is not for you, but I didn't take my kids to work or the theatre or to dinner at friends' houses, and we seem to have survived as an intact and, tempting fate, reasonably happy family.
In the interests of fairness, I should say that we had at least one other family hol a year in addition to skiing, so that by spending some or all of the ski hol in a creche, our kids were not deprived of spending holiday time with their parents, for what that's worth.
russ_e, go for it if you fancy it. Take the nipper, spend as much time as you and s/he wish on the slopes and do whatever you want the rest of the time. There's no reason why both of you shouldn't have a great time.
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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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| Quote: |
I have a controversial view on this that tends to result in lots of angry replies whenever I express it. But here it is, nevertheless.
We chose not to take our kids skiing until they could ski. A few years off the slopes didn't harm us, and we had loads of great family holidays that centred on stuff that wasn't white and slippery. We wanted to spend time with our kids, not leave them behind in a creche so we could have fun without them.
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Am with you on this and have been saying this in another thread but it seems that as you say many people find that idea of giving up a few years of skiing a bit controversial. Like you, we waited till ours were old enough to venture onto the nursery slopes or could be safely placed between our legs to slip around the gentler slopes.
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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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russ_e,
Hi
Took my daughter when she was three, this was my husbands first ski hol aswell and I had only been once when 12. By coincidence ESF takes them at three so she went to ski school in the morning. She is now 7 and we still do the same and have family time in the afternoon to swim/make snowmen/sledge etc. I have always found that to work really well. My youngest is now two and she will have been on five snow holidays by the end of this season. I put her in creche in the mornings while we are at ski school/out on the slopes. We have used Crystal and First Choice and have always found the creches to be great (though we did just have a nightmare of having the creche an hours round trip walk from our hotel...despite the TO sales guy telling us it was close!!! So just do your research and be mindful of what TO sales people tell you!). Having started using this web site though I hear so many positives about Esprit that I'm going to look into them for next season.
Now, this is where it gets really controversial and some un-named non-creche users might well wet their pants with rage but I will put myself in the firing line as i think it's important for those considering taking babies to know what I was told when we took Izzie on her first snow hol at four months old (no she was not put in a creche, Mummy and Daddy alternated childcare!). I did let the doctor know we were going beforehand and she didn't bat an eyelid. However on holiday a few French people were surprised that we had taken her up the mountain saying that her lungs weren't developed enough for the altitude. I had always seen loads of other British/French babies in resort and had never heard that maybe you shouldn't. So anyway, my daughter was fine and she's a proper little monster keeping me on my toes so she's definately fighting fit. I have to say though that if I did have anymore kids ( ) I would really look into it before I would consider going again.
As this thread is entitled "Taking the kids, what age?" then I thought this was relevant.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Hi,
I skied whilst pregnant with both of mine and also took our son with us on hols (1or 2 times a year) from six months. He loved the time in childcare but didn't really enjoy the idea of skiing until he was 3.
This is morgan skiing at ages 3/4
http://uk.youtube.com/v/rOyOFG0yuzI
http://uk.youtube.com/v/6mOjlnHgH_o
We have travlled independantlyand found a creche and also done the childcentre ski esprit type holiday (5 times) both seem to work well for us. We have chosen to leave our youngest 18mnths behind until next year when she will be 2.5 years old as 1. We have grandparents willing to look after her whom we trust 2. the cost of putting her into fulltime daycare can be spent on the rest of us (a little selfish- maybe) 3. Our eldest didn't seem interested in the snow until that age.
My top tips would be: drive to resort if possible, but if not pick a resort with a short ish transfer, an all in package although more expensive can be easier the first time as long as you are willing to fit into their regime.
Remember that you won't get in as much skiing as you did before kids (so make what you do count!
But skiing with your kids is just the best experiance ever!, even when you have to spend the entire run shouting slow down and keep turning!
Have a fab time!
Just to add:-
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Now, this is where it gets really controversial and some un-named non-creche users might well wet their pants with rage but I will put myself in the firing line as i think it's important for those considering taking babies to know what I was told when we took Izzie on her first snow hol at four months old (no she was not put in a creche, Mummy and Daddy alternated childcare!). I did let the doctor know we were going beforehand and she didn't bat an eyelid. However on holiday a few French people were surprised that we had taken her up the mountain saying that her lungs weren't developed enough for the altitude. I had always seen loads of other British/French babies in resort and had never heard that maybe you shouldn't. So anyway, my daughter was fine and she's a proper little monster keeping me on my toes so she's definately fighting fit. I have to say though that if I did have anymore kids ( ) I would really look into it before I would consider going again.
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Both of our children were premature and so genuinely did have underdeveloped lungs and the peadeatricians in both cases said that altitude upto 2500m would be fine, but that above this could be a problem in babies upto 18 mnths old. I was also advised when pregnant not to exert myself at v high altitude, and tried to stick to skiing below 2500m Hope this helps someone.
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russ_e, they'll enjoy being in the snow for a short period and spending lots of time with their parents from 2. However if you want to start them off as early as they'll really learn properly I'd say minimum of 5. Before that it's really just a choice between dumping them with someone or wasting your own skiing time!  We took ours at about 3yr9mnth. A dozen private dry slope lessons, then week away with morning ski creche and afternoon skiing with us on an easy blue. Don't regret it as I like spending time with my kids, and I got to do a bit though not very much skiing that year rather than having to wait till the next. Has the fact that they started at 3 per se meant they are now better than other 8yr olds who didn't start till 5? Very much doubt it. Have they enjoyed all their ski hols and love skiing? You betcha!
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Isn't the main priority at that age that they enjoy being in the snow and the mountains, regardless of whether they are skiing, building snowmen, tobogganing, whatever? They should view it as an enjoyable experience that they want to continue with, not be put off for life because they are made to do something cold and unpleasant. As slikedges, said, I doubt you could look at a recreational skier aged 10 and say with any certainty who started at 3 and who started at 5.
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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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Some good advice, cheers chaps.
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| richmond wrote: |
| Jonny Jones wrote: |
| We chose not to take our kids skiing until they could ski. |
Bit of a Catch 22 there, surely. Good wheeze for stopping your kids going skiing, I suppose. |
Ski as opposed to waste their time in a creche idly lobbing snowballs about.
Each to his own. I'm sure kids don't come to much harm in a creche. But I wonder what possesses people to go through the massive physical, emotional and financial cost of parenthood and then pay a childminder to take away the good bits.
If we preferred skiing to spending time with our kids, we'd have remained childless and used the extra cash to go on a series of extra skiing trips each year. But do as you choose - it's your life, not mine.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Jonny Jones wrote: |
| richmond wrote: |
| Jonny Jones wrote: |
| We chose not to take our kids skiing until they could ski. |
Bit of a Catch 22 there, surely. Good wheeze for stopping your kids going skiing, I suppose. |
Ski as opposed to waste their time in a creche idly lobbing snowballs about. |
Some kids might quite enjoy that, although I do appreciate that one doesn't want to see one's 2 year old wasting time. Ours seemed to enjoy it, although they did a bit of skiing as well in the creche (just outside it, to be accurate).
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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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Nobody said that if you have kids you can never do something on your own that you enjoy. It will make you a better parent if you sometimes have a break and a few hours skiing in a year should not emotionally scar your kids for life.
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But I wonder what possesses people to go through the massive physical, emotional and financial cost of parenthood and then pay a childminder to take away the good bits.
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actually I pay them to take away the bad bits - tantrums, dirty nappies etc. Can then get some skiing in. Out of the couple of hours they were there, I didn't miss them starting to walk, talk, smile, do quadratic equations etc
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a few French people were surprised that we had taken her up the mountain saying that her lungs weren't developed enough for the altitude
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I'm pretty sure that babies are born in mountains the world over and survive
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You know it makes sense.
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| Jonny Jones wrote: |
| [If we preferred skiing to spending time with our kids, we'd have remained childless and used the extra cash to go on a series of extra skiing trips each year. |
And if I had had to choose between going skiing when my kids were little and spending any time with them, I'd have chosen spending time with them and given up skiing. Fortunately, I didn't have to make that choice, and neither does anyone else (unless you take your ski hol during home leave from a long stretch at HM's pleasure or on leave from the Navy). I suppose that had I seen very little of my kids during the rest of the year, I might not have wanted to spend time skiing without them, but I was fortunate enough to see them almost every day, all day at weekends, and on other holidays. As you say, to each his own, but I find it as difficult to understand your view as you obviously do mine.
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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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Avago, that video is brilliant... looks like he loved it! How long was he happy staying out for at a time?
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Poster: A snowHead
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ski-finder, We expected him to ski for maybe an hour, but most days he stayed with us all morning and then an hour or two after lunch. He smiled the whole time apart from when we stopped for a breather and he wanted to keep going!! We always give him the option of skiing or playing or anything else he would like to do, but so far he has always opted for getting his skis on. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Avago, he'll be snowhead before he sits his SATs
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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'll answer this question and report back with review / videos as we are taking our 3 year 1 month old to Chamonix for 14 days and have her booked into the Panda Club for mornings and lunch too. PM we will take her back to apartment for a nap and then do whatever after that. Second week they reccomend private lessons for her or if she does really well then full days. I'm taking their advice and afterall they take kids from 3 so that tells you they can ski. Time will tell !!
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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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ski-finder, He loves looking at all the photos and video clips on here, so I'm sure once he can read, he'll be a regular poster!! 
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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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Boris,
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I'm pretty sure that babies are born in mountains the world over and survive
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I did query them on that and they said that if they were carried (ie in their Mothers bellies) on the mountain then their blood gasses (or something to that effect) would have adapted to their environment. I've no idea if they are just talking rubbish.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Jonny Jones,
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Ski as opposed to waste their time in a creche idly lobbing snowballs about.
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So EVERY child in EVERY creche wastes their time in a creche idly lobbing snowballs about? Wow, it must have taken you forever to do all of that research. Well done you for basing your argument on such well informed data rather than on narrow mindedness and bias.
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I'm sure kids don't come to much harm in a creche
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No, not at all, my daughter has just suffered severed fingers, a broken arm, medium sized bruises and a cut needing five stitches so that's why we continue to put her in.
It's amazing really how many accidents can happen at creche but when the kids are at home with Mum and Dad there has never in the worlds history been an incidence of a child injuring itself. Truly staggering isn't it?
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If we preferred skiing to spending time with our kids, we'd have remained childless and used the extra cash to go on a series of extra skiing trips each year.
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Yes, because there really are no other options are there? If you have kids you must have no personal interests, you must not go to the gym, you must never eat out with your spouse as just a couple, you must never have a romantic night away with each other and you must never go for a game of footie with the lads. Unfortunately though, until this Government sees sense and pays both parents to stay at home with their children until they are eighteen, so that they can spend every single sleeping and waking moment together being safe and really really happy, then unfortunately one parent will still have to go to work. Isn't it a crazy world hay?
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HH, methinks thou dost protest too much. Conscience troubling you, perhaps?
There's no need to get angry; as I said, each to his own. I made and implied no judgement of parents who don't see the world my way. I simply expressed my own views and my genuine difficulty understanding some parents' attitude to their children. I don't know if you're one of those parents; even if you are, I'm not criticising you, I'm just looking at you confused.
I've heard many parents tell me things about the childcare on skiing holidays, Disney cruises, all-in-one beach holidays, etc, that I just don't get. When I'm told that it's fabulous to have a holiday where you can get away from the kids for a week, I'm genuinely confused. And when people tell me that it's fabulous to have your kids supervised from breakfast to supper, I'm confused. Myself, I really don't think that these things are at all fabulous. As a parent, childhood flies by at an extraordinary pace, and I want to enjoy my kids as much as I can. To me, giving your kids to someone else is a bit like travelling to a ski resort and spending the day in the bar admiring the slopes. It seems to somewhat miss the point.
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Jonny Jones, what is the point?
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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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| Jonny Jones wrote: |
| I made and implied no judgement of parents who don't see the world my way. |
Have to say as a disinterested observer of this thread that's not the way I've read your comments.
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If you want your child to be a champion ski racer then you start them at 3.
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FAQ
