5 Tips to Survive a Ski Holiday
Introduction
Ski holidays are great. You get to see the snow, you spend the time outdoors, and the family can spend some quality time together doing something exciting: skiing. But let’s be honest – there are plenty of challenges that come with a ski trip away with your family. It’s hard to keep everyone happy while still managing to have fun yourself! As someone who has been on more than one ski holiday with my family over the years, I have learned a thing or two about how best to manage these situations. So here are my top tips for making sure your next holiday goes smoothly:
Plan ahead
Planning is the key to a good ski holiday. If you want your ski holiday to be a success, then it's important that you do some planning before the trip so that everything runs smoothly, and everyone has an enjoyable time.
There are a few things to keep in mind when you plan your ski holiday. The first is to know what you want to do before you arrive, whether it's ski lessons, leisure skiing or restaurants. You can book your lessons, rentals, and activities in advance, which will help save time on the mountain.
You should think about what kind of holiday works best for your family and what activities are most appealing to each member of the group. For example, not everyone might need lessons, some might choose snowboarding, others skiing, and the list goes on. To avoid frustration, it can be useful if each member of your family provides their own preferences. It can be a cool family activity when everyone gets together to discuss the holiday: from accommodation to transport and activities, all have their say. This way everyone knows exactly what they're getting and there'll be no surprises or frustration!
Book in advance
As a parent you’re probably used to planning. You’ve got to do it for school holidays and summer camps. But when you book your kids’ ski holiday in advance, you can relax and be confident that they have their activities sorted out, as well as their equipment. Get your kids excited about the lessons and the opportunity to explore the mountain with a group of other children and make friends.
Think about all the things you’d like to do during the holiday and pre book as much as you can. Imagine having to purchase lift tickets then rental skis and trying to plan dinner all at the same time. That is a sure way to ruin your holiday. Think about gear storage, maybe a locker would be suitable, to avoid having to carry skis and boots. It will also keep your boots warm. Skiing in cold boots is painful for adults, and for a child it would feel a lot worse.
With various labour shortages, across the ski industry, booking in advance will ensure you can enjoy all the desired activities.
Manage Stress
Ski lessons for children and adults are most important however, you should make time to ski together as a family as much as possible, outside of ski lessons. There are two preeminent types of families out there: the skiing tips family, or the maximisers.
In the skiing tips family, the parents usually turn into ski instructors, and provide “tips” to their kids. As a ski instructor, I actively try to avoid turning a social activity into a ski lesson when skiing with my friends and family. It can be very frustrating, and it takes the fun away. Remember: your children just want to have fun and spend time with you, maybe show you a trick or two, or simply be kids. Don’t ruin that for them. Also, there is a good chance they are better skiers than you.
The maximisers, want to pack as many runs as possible in. Slow down, your kids or your partner may not be up to it. Keep in mind that accidents usually happen on that “last run”. If you are one of them, and I know I am, try to put aside a few hours for yourself, ski as fast and as much as you feel like, and then spend time with the family, regardless of if it’s chasing butterflies, or hanging at the terrain park holding your breath every time your kids do a jump.
Family holidays can be stressful, you must get up early, may be tired, the weather could be less than enticing, and this list very long. Accept there are things outside of your control and have a few other activities up your sleeve, if skiing is not an option.
Plan a special family activity on one day
The last tip is to do something that’s a little different. Something that you don’t normally do, or at least not as often.
Maybe it's trying snow biking, ice skating or horse riding. Then again, you may go in a hot air balloon, or helicopter ride. It does not have to be as adventurous, it could be a board game and movie day or just hanging out in the spa. You could go visit, take one day off skiing and enjoy that instead. It's good for your body, mind and soul!
Hakuna matata
It’s tempting to think that you can check your email or make and receive business calls from the slopes. But it’s important to take a break from work, if only for a few days. Leave your laptop and cell phone behind and try not to think about work at all. You can't control what happens in the office, but you can control how you react to it—so why bring it with you on holiday?
Also, leave your domestic work behind. The last thing you want to have to deal with whilst on holidays is applying for a mortgage, stressing about your new car, or any other major purchase. All these problems will still be there, waiting for you upon your return, or if you can, sort them out before you go.
Conclusion
Now you know what to expect when planning your ski holiday and how to prepare for it. With the different tips we have given here, you can be sure that your holiday will be one of the better ones. See you on the slopes.
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