 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi All
We are off on a family trip to Morzine at the end of March.
My son is aged 6 1/2 years old and has been skiing twice. The first time he went was to La Plagne where he was awarded his Ourson. Last year we went to Les Arcs where he started in Flocon but was then moved back down as his technique was not quite up to skiing the higher slopes. He essentially needed a quick refresher on certain aspects of his technique in the Jardin d'Enfants. He was quickly moved back up and was able to ski linked snowplough turns down blue runs and ride drag and chairlifts by the end of the week.
My query is that he was merely given a certificate of attendance in Les Arcs rather than a medal so I'm now not sure what level to peg him at when we go this year. From looking at the ESF Morzine levels he could even be at First Star level. I am keen not to dent his confidence again so was planning on pegging him at Ourson level ie in the Jardin d'Enfants for appraisal and then hopefully he will move up again under his own steam. Does this sound the correct approach? Still fairly new to the family ski trip so want to ensure the little fella is happy, not having his confidence dented and also that he feels a sense of achievement by the end of the week.
All the best.
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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 would put him down for flocon at the very least, or possibly one star.
If he is confident on lifts and can ski a blue he would probably manage one star.
My 5 yr old daughter did the one star ESF course on our recent holiday and they seemed to be doing blue runs with linked turns. They were going at a reasonably fast pace though. She was still 5 and too short to get on chair lifts unaided. Therefore the instructor said she could ski with the one star group but would only get the flocon award. Assuming your son is taller he will probably be fine in one star.
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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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Griggs, Put him into Flocon again and let the instructors assess his ability. Our sons first session has usually been an 'assessment session'. Those that don't have their badges or stamped booklet are looked at by the instructors and placed in the right group. Unfortunately there always seems to be parents that exaggerate their childs ability and it is the child that then has their confidence dented! If they feel he is able to cope with a higher group they will move him. Also, being a year old your son will be that much stronger  Good Luck
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Hi
Many thanks for your responses. You have cemented my thoughts of starting him in Flocon and seeing how we go. I'll go armed with his certificates etc so the ESF can see what he has been up to in previous years. Hopefully this will be the year that he puts it all together. He did so well last year after the initial set back of the first day eventually being able to snowplough all the way down to the Vanoise Express above Peisey through what I can only describe as end of season porridge ! 
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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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Griggs, I think it can also depend on the resort & how busy they are, we went to Val cenis at Christmas with our two kids, the youngest boy 6 had never been on snow before, he had just got to the stage of linking turns (very slowly on a dry slope before we went). When we got there our first days lessons were cancelled which left us to take him for his first experience on snow. By the end of that day he could link turns, control his speed etc. but couldn't get on and off chair lifts without help & never got to try a drag lift.
We were given the choice of ourson or flocon on his first day, they decided to try him in flocon because he would be with another little english boy he'd become friends with in our hotel, we had no idea how he'd get on but we shouldnt have worried by the end of the week he advanced heaps and got his flocon, we are glad he was put in a higher group, so for your son definitly at least flocon to start.
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Griggs, Flocon!
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Definitely Flocon, 1 star usually start thinking about using their poles as well and go at a fair pace. As said before, instructors move them about if they feel the need, and even if he's in flocon and skiing well, he may even be awarded a 1* (but obviously only in exceptional skiing). Have fun, Morzine's great- go see an ice hockey game, the kids should love it!
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+1 for Flocon, as long as you get a good instructor they will assess and move them up or down as required. My 5yo (2nd week of ski school, 1st austria, 2nd ESF with esprit this year) Got her flocon and was using poles from day 3. 10 Year old (1week ESF @4, 1/2 week Austria @8, 1 week Austria@9, 1 week ESF with esprit this year) got her 3 star. She was good enough for her bronze according to her instructor but she didn't want to go for it so he assessed her for that.
Youngest ski's blues with linked turns and the easy reds also. Eldest is parallel turns on all but the steeper pistes, still turning the body too much but we'll knock that out of her. She flew down suisses (pisted and very early in the day so nice and easy for a black run).
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