 Poster: A snowHead
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Yep, exactly - I don't want them to get bored - I want them to enjoy themselves as much as we'll be enjoying ourselves by being challenged! Like us they get true enjoyment from progressing and improving even if it means hard work.
pam_w - Awww at your daughter! What a level-headed little girl she was - it is amazing what they are capable of despite only having been able to talk a few years! I am quite sure my two would be like yours would be as regards your experience with the Austrian school, and not take the easy option.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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yup, always a little pack of mini Jammy Dodgers or BN biccies in their pockets as I send them off to ski school.
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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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sparklies, I don't think my daughter wanted "to be challenged" exactly, she just felt that the "babies going under Donald Duck" were a bit beneath her; there was nothing very noble in her stance. Though the way she refrained from eating the secret stash of choc bars for hypos was pretty noble, actually, as she loved chocolate as much as the next child.
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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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pam_w - that makes even more sense actually! No child likes to feel they've taken a step back after all.
Think we will be investing in small snacks to go in pockets before we go. I think one of the things they're looking forward to the most (besides the skiing!) is visiting the mountain restaurants even if we will probably need to get a lift back in some cases! Just the word "coffee shop" silences all tantrums round here.
Speaking of which.. I've never had to get a lift down a mountain before. I've never paid much attention to see if people do it - is it an acceptable thing to do especially with young children? I assume it's fine with gondolas, but what about chairlifts? Obviously I'd love for them to be able to ski back down with us on a gentle blue, but I have no idea how likely it is they'd reach that standard even by the end of the week.
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| Quote: |
I assume it's fine with gondolas, but what about chairlifts?
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some chairlifts take pedestrians (up and down) but many don't.
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Ahh, okay, so it's a "it depends" thing! At least it's not totally impossible. I presume there will be signs of some kind if it's allowed!
Thanks!!
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sparklies, in my experience, even the surliest of lifties is a big softie when it comes to stopping a chairlift so little ones can get on and download; don't feel shy about phoning the local tourist office and asking.
I went for a 2-hour snowshoe hike today - there were many points when I thought "red wine and tartiflette... red wine and tartiflette"... we all need a bit of incentive through the tough bits (and I'm a grown-up who went out on that walk alone, without anyone 'making' me do it) 
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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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sparklies, I understand how you feel and think you're taking a reasonable position trying to get your kids into the most appropriate class. Both my kids have had esf lessons and the experience has generally been good, generally there will be a natural sorting process and the kids will end up in the right class.
One area where I think they could be better (IME) is the beginner/snow garden stage, my daughter went in at 3 and she didn't enjoy it, watching from a distance they just seemed to be going around this little circuit with little input from the instructors it looked quite boring she didn't like it so we took her out-maybe she was too young. Next year at 4 we put her in again and a similar thing happened so we had a word with an instructor who signalled to another instructor to give her a good shove off to see how steady she was, she seemed ok so they put her into a group who were going up a little rope tow and from that point on was away and enjoying it.
You should be fine with the esf but I would suggest talking to your instructor about what they have done at hemel and they will keep an eye on them and put them in the most appropriate classes-it may well be they end up in ourson/flocon groups.
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miranda - Thanks, that's reassuring! I have to admit that my number one fear (besides them hurtling off the edge of a cliff obviously!) is sorting them out on the chairlifts. Glad that they'll be sympathetic!
sledger - Thank you! I think if we hadn't already given our four year old lessons and she was still three (and no big sister to keep up with!) she might get on fine in the snow garden, but from the sounds of things she'd be pretty unhappy there now for the whole week. It's great that they listened to you and were happy to test her to see if she was ready for more - that sounds very fair and reasonable. That's all we want really - that things are fair and reasonable!
Thinking about it, Hemel have achievement cards with a list of skills that need to be achieved and signed off by an instructor before they can progress to the next level. Perhaps we should bring them with us - a bit of "official" paperwork with the right terms on it is surely better than a proud parent's biased opinion of "she can ski round those cone thingies quite well" or "I reckon she's ready for a black"!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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For the interested, the relevant ESF replied today saying that they would put both of them in Ourson for the first lesson and see how they are at the end of that before making further decisions. Which is completely fair and I am very happy with this!
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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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sparklies, glad to here this response. Btw how did you get in touch with them was it directly or through Crsytal?
I have been following this thread with interest as my three yr old is booked into Spritelets in Austria this April and booked into ESF for NEXT April when she will be 4. I was hoping tha if she was upto it she would be given the opportunity to progress further, obviously is all depends but glad to read they are flexible.
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It was directly via ESF - their website (for the particular ESF in resort) had a "contact us" page. Took them a few days but they got back in the end! I think a lot depends on the individual ESF, so we got lucky with this one 
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You know it makes sense.
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that's great, sparklies, you must be pleased. It's surprising how often people will discuss something for ages here on SHs and resist all suggestions that they actually ring up and TALK to someone who can actually answer the question!
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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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I'm very pleased - couldn't ask for more, really. I want them to be in the most appropriate groups and I'll happily defer to their expertise after they've been watched for a lesson. I'm pretty confident neither of them will be weak enough to be classed as absolute beginners so hopefully that means they will get to escape the snow garden for at least some of the time!
To be fair, if I hadn't been able to email ESF I might have been afraid to call them! I hate making phonecalls at the best of times as I can never understand what anyone says on the phone, especially with the small children clattering and banging, so the thought of an international call to a person with potentially a very thick French accent filled me with fear! I was wondering what I would do if they didn't reply (as it took several days) and I have to admit to being very relieved they did via email.
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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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Thank you!! I'll definitely be writing up a trip report - goodness knows I should give something back after asking all these questions!!
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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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sparklies, seems like a good move to me and hopefully put your mind at rest. Looking forward to your comprehensive trip report!
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| sparklies wrote: |
| For the interested, the relevant ESF replied today saying that they would put both of them in Ourson for the first lesson and see how they are at the end of that before making further decisions. Which is completely fair and I am very happy with this! |
Good stuff, and good for the ESF 
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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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I expect at least fleche d'or.
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I was actually hoping they'd be teaching the instructors by the end, but oh well 
They are still both doing really well - the six year old is now recreational standard at Hemel, and the four year old probably needs one more lesson to get there, and we still have another four lessons booked before we go. So I'm actually very interested from a non-"proud mummy" perspective as to where they're going to put them as well and where they end up! They're both absolutely loving it - it helps they're insanely competitive with each other (you should have seen the tantrum when the older one got her "recreational standard" level on Tuesday!!) so they really try their hardest in lessons and always have big big smiles! Except when the other one goes up a level and they don't, ha ha!! It is safe to say they have caught the bug.
Simon - I think I saw you teaching a little one when my two were having a private lesson on the main slope on Tuesday evening! But I was up on the balcony of course.
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sparklies, When we were in Plagne centre in Feb this year with Crystal, the Crystal reps said that ESF in La Plagne were quite tough in giving the various badges, ie only if the kids has met the right levels needed to gain the badge. Our son just missed out on his 1 star in Flaine last year ( again Crystal said they need to meet the right levels there but not in some of the other resorts they had worked at) we expected him to be in 1 star group again this year, but they put him straight in to 2 star as they felt he was good enough so I dont think you will have any probs with them not being in the right groups. As many other posters have said they will enjoy the school aspect in the mornings and skiing with you if they have the energy in the afternoon. All sounds good to me, just wish we could get a 2nd week in this year, I am working on a plan so we can 
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Thanks geoffknight! That's kind of nice to know that even if they don't pass their badges, if they're of a suitable standard then they don't have to repeat the class next time out. I hope your plan comes together - this one was fairly last minute as it was!
Just when everything seemed to be going to plan, I had an email saying that the apartments (so NOT Crystal) want a 55 euro charge for "guaranteeing" a ground floor apartment. Given the apartments where we are staying are five floors high with no lift, and I'd stated we had three small children including one in a pushchair, I am less than impressed by this extortion. We're going to have to pay it because the thought of five floors carrying four sets of skis and a pushchair with a child in it are not going to do much for our attempts at staying injury free as we both have upper body weak spots. Bad enough airlines charging it for seats but that's a preference thing - this is a physical thing!
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FAQ
I do too and also put the 3-5 Euros too for the hot choc stop. Mine has now got wise and eats the snack from his pocket 
Turns out the instructor gets cheap prices for them. No wonder he is never hungry for lunch after his lesson 
