Exploring options for lessons

A snowHead

So with idle-ness comes planning next years trip. This is something that we look at all options for esp. ski school for the kids.

The kids seem to be reaching the stage where when we look at group lessons for them they appear to be outskiing the grading criteria that are often listed for the group classes, esp. what might be available outside of school holiday time. We noticed this year that it had been necessary for them to join a mixed ability group, which is OK as far as it goes, but with the best will going, it is not going to be ideal for them. They were also coming back with moans about the 'testing' behaviour of some of the younger kids in the class, which from my laid back pair, means they must have been pretty bad at times.

So naturally we have moved towards considering spending the same sort of cash on private lessons. Maybe 2 or 3 sessions of a couple of hours or so.

What I was wondering is would the kids be best of doing this with just them together?

The thing is having had two holidays without lessons, but gaining some confidence in getting round the mountain and getting to grips with driving my new planks, which I think has been essential, I now believe I would really benefit from some further instruction, something I may not have previously done without that confidence in place.

So there is a notion here of me potentially joining the kids in the hire of an instructor. This leads to a joint question here - would an instructor have problems with a joint adult/kids session and would the kids be better off without me?

I should add that I tend not to be the 'clucky' type of mother.

A snowHead

I've had private lessons with my daughter (14) a couple of times, 6 hours last year in Switzerland and 12 hours in France the previous year. It can work with a good instructor but is not ideal. My daughter/Your kids learn a lot quicker than me/you so they tend to get held back. I found last year that I picked up a lot less than my daughter who has now left me well behind.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

How old are they? Also several places we've been recently have offered discounts on a 'pack' of privates which are your to spend as you will - maybe you could book 10 hours and take 4 for you, 6 for them or similar.

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a.j., By next year they will be 11 and 8 to my 40 plus ish.

N.B. You may wish to change the phrasing of a 'pack of privates' though I do know what you are on about, and that is an idea worth considering.

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Megamum, a couple of options for you come to mind, one is our own Easiski who I'm pretty sure has done/will do parent and child lessons which may work well as you're not clucky, your kids are older and she would very definitely be in charge Toofy Grin

The other option is Snowbizz in Puy St Vincent who offer Mini Champs and Race Training which would probably suit your kids, you could then have your own private lessons. They are very reasonably priced indeed for the quality of the instruction. You could ring Wendy at Snowbizz and have the conversation with her about your kids, I reckon you would be pleasantly surprised. We went with them last year because they were happy to take my then 4 year old into their Juniors (he was already at dome recreational standard) when most others wanted to put him in snow garden. They are an excellent operator. You can self drive, it is reasonably priced and the apartments are right there on the snow front, couldn't be in a better spot.

HTH a bit Very Happy

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Megamum, I'd say that you would probably benefit more from lessons than the kids would at the moment - so be selfish for once, and spend the money on private lessons for yourself! But they're too small to be allowed to racket round on their own, I guess, so maybe something on the lines that sarah suggests might work well for them.

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Megamum, At 8 and 11 your kids are too young IMO to ski with their parents. As sarah, says I do family lessons when requested, but it always means that no-one gets as much out of the lessons as they would in purely adult of childrens' lessons. Methods of teaching and learning are quite different for younger children than for adults. the 11 year old might be OK with adults but would be bored to death. The 8 year old is too young IMO. Adults need lots of verbal input (in general) but kids need much less, they need to be helped just to allow their bodies to ski (which they do well), thus terrain/speed selection is very important, but explanation is undesirable except for very general terms.

I hope this helps.

After all it is free

Megamum, Go local, and get them doing something regularly in the UK at your local slope.

Megamum
I agree with easiski about kids and adults learning differently, but quick question. Why not just put them (and you) into the most appropriate class.
There are loads of class for 8 year olds, 11 year olds and even for old people (I used to be 40'ish wink

), just book them at the same time. All 3 of you go off and do your stuff in the lessons then meet up afterwards.
PS. Kids don't seems to want private lesson BTW (it's the parents that tend to want to buy a skill for their kids?? except in the case of there being a problem with the child within a class situation). Kids tend to have more fun and learn faster in their peer group, which is the main idea, ain't that what it's all about . It's a family holiday 1st and ski training 2nd.

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david@mediacopy, Its difficult to do something local due to time and cash considerations as a single parent.

easiski, Wayne, That is the sort of information I was looking for. We had been looking at the website of an independant instructor in one of the resorts who had said that for the cost of their 'private' sessions the group could comprise up to 5 people if required - so for one cost 1-5 people could take part. So just the kids or me or me and the kids. I just wondered to save on costs and time if we went for something like that whether we would cause an instructor problems with the two age ranges and how much each group would lose out if we decided to go together - hence asking the question.

From the sounds of it we are better off in separate groups. Wayne, We went in Jan this year out of school holidays and because of the small number of kids booked into lessons out of the school holidays mine were at the top of a mixed ability group - from the comments they felt that the other kids were holding back their progress. We are going again out of school holidays this year and so I was trying to improve on that situation happening again. Also, when I look at group lessons and how they need to be skiing for each group they seem to be above many of the standard levels that are listed - assuming that they are not so interested in race training. I asked them how they felt about the idea of a private instructor as another option for next year, and they are really in favour of the concept vs. what they encountered this year. In terms of me having lessons separately from them it shouldn't be a big deal (except for added cost) as I hope BMF_Skier will take them to some gnarly stuff during my absence that they don't usually go down when I'm with them BMF_Skier might welcome the chance to ski some challenging stuff without me there too!!! I am the one that still holds our group back Sad

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Megamum,
Sorry I'm lost with all that. Bit dim tonight.
Private lessons are always going to cost more than just joining into a group class. (well they are round here anyway).
Round here it will cost you about £30 per hour "each" (assuming 3 of you for 10 hours aover 5 days - see here).
So thats £300 each for the week. But group lessons about £85 for the whole week (10 hours over 5 days)
I assume that the charges are about the same in most resorts in Europe (not sure about the USA).
Again, why not not just join into an appropriate class for each person that's being run at the same time and then meet up afterwards.
Seem the simple answer to all you worries.
Maybe there is something I'm missing, sorry

You know it makes sense.

Megamum, another idea, why not try the ESF for the kids? Most of the criticism of the ESF tends to be along the lines of very large kids classes at the lower levels, I am sure I read on here about it being a whole different ball game at the higher levels.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Megamum, with three kids who ski at a similar level to me, I've asked the same question many times. Whenever I've spoken to ski instructors I've had the same answer that easiski has given - a lesson that includes adults and children will be worthwhile but compromised. But I guess it depends on your objectives. You need to decide whether it's most important to have fun together as a family (in which case take a family private lesson), to progress as quickly as possible (so take individual private lessons) or to do things in the most cost-effective way possible (achieved with group lessons).

I've used a mixture of all three approaches. I've shared a private lesson with my eldest son, but I largely used the instructor as a guide and we had an awesome time; I've occasionally booked private lessons for members of the family who were struggling with some particular aspect of technique; and we've all learned most of what we know through group lessons.

It's all about horses and courses.

A snowHead

A snowHead

pam w, similar prices in Puy St Vincent IIRC. Megamum, get to one of the lesser known resorts snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

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Wayne, rumours that everything in French ski resorts is stupidly expensive are grossly exaggerated. As Sarah says, just stop going to the likes of Val Thorens and everything becomes much more affordable.

\in the school holidays it's 79 euros for 2 people for 2 hours, so they get paid more then! There's certainly a minimum wage but it's a lot less than 27 euros an hour. Laughing

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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

Megamum, back on topic, depends on where you go and what standard your kids are at (2*, 3*, Or, competition etc) at 8 and 11 if have gone fully through the ESF (or equivalent) system then you are in a quandry... I had this with my daughter, she went through the full ESF levels and we put her in race training, although her skiing came on loads she didnt like it for the sole reason of getting a wet bum sitting on pomas all day long snowHead

we then found a "teens" club when she was 11 that she was allowed to join in and really loved it, good skiers, lots of off piste/park learning tricks etc.

lesson for kids doesnt have to be piste performance and one thing the much maligned big resorts offer is a bigger choice of ski schools and more options for more experienced child skiers...

Help!!

Exploring options for lessons

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