Forget marriage, jobs, buying a house... life's decisions don't come more crucial than this: how can you make sure your children ski? After all, one day we'll all be doddery old dogs who can barely stand up - and then we're going to need our kids to ski with us. Besides that, there's the joy of seeing youngsters get to love the mountains and thrill to the glorious physical experience of skiing. If you can communicate that, treat yourself to an extra vin chaud , but it can be a fraught time. And skiing with kids can either be the best family fun you will ever have or a very expensive tantrum-filled, hassle-packed nightmare. I know what I'd prefer and here are one or two guidelines I try to follow:
Do... check the instruction if it's laid on for you. I once had a real shock at Chamonix when I went to watch what I hoped would be a cheery little group of four, including my then eight-year-old daughter, frolicking on easy nursery slopes. What I saw were miserable children splayed across the snow, coming out of their skis with no instruction on how to redo the bindings. I rushed over to explain while the surly French girl scowled. Then I saw them being forced to sidestep uphill, crying, in heavy snow. Well, it might be good for the character but that was enough. I took her out and we went private, one on one, and it was all smiles again.
Do... use a good ski school. Ski classes can be a fantastic way for kids to get to know each other and the instructors. But think about going private as well, as a big class can sometimes be a bit slow or intimidating for youngsters and language difficulties, arrogant instructors and too much hanging around in the cold can make it a real pain. Think about a mixture of ski school and private lessons; a couple of kids with one instructor can really accelerate ski skills. Private instructors tend to be more attentive, fun and charming. It'll cost a bit, but then drink's expensive too. Drink less... and feel better.
Don't... try to start them too young. We're not brought up among mountains here and it's an alien experience. Skiing should be fun, and walking around on planks in freezing conditions isn't to every child's taste. Once they are older, say seven, they can thrill to the exercise and the friendship of the slopes. If you start too young, a kid could be put off for life. So make it fun, offer lots of treats and be willing to stop if the youngsters are fed up, bored or cold.
Don't... worry about your own skiing too much. You probably won't get too much time for hard pounding, after all you've got a bit of discreet checking to do and areas with hard skiing aren't the best for learning. The rewards will come later - what could be more fun than vainly trying to follow the disappearing ski tips of a kid who could barely stand upright only a few years before? Purpose-built resorts such as Avoriaz and Val Thorens are all very well, but lack the charm and other facilities that younger kids might enjoy. However, ski-in, ski-out has huge advantages for children who don't want to slog along ice roads lugging heavy skis. Try to find a resort where the nursery slopes are reasonably close to intermediate runs, like Les Arcs or La Plagne.
Don't... expect kids to ski for as long as you. Seven- to nine-year-olds may only want to ski for two or three hours a day, but if you start a little late, break for lunch, and build in a lot of judicious hot chocolate treats, you can have a day lasting from 11-4. Try to find alternatives to skiing as well; snowboarding or blading makes a cheery afternoon for bored kids.
Do... think about time not spent skiing. Most good ski resorts have plenty of other activities: skating, snowmobiling, shopping, tobogganing and dog sledging can all break the monotony of the piste. Slopes in the morning, something else in the afternoon is usually a good formula. Most of the Austrian resorts, such as Mayrhofen and Solden are great as are the gentler French ones, such as Flaine, Tignes, Les Deux Alpes and Les Arcs.
Do... look for specialist operators. Ski Esprit was a pioneer for kids' skiing, and has just been bought by Peter Dyer, who founded Crystal Holidays, another very good company. Ski Esprit is highly rated (though our nightmare instructor experience was with the firm) and it has very good all-day childcare. It has now moved into hotels, including one in Champoluc in Italy's Aosta valley. I can't vouch for the Ski Esprit operation, but Champoluc is absolutely one of my favourite resorts: wonderful skiing and beautiful scenery, superb for beginners and, for the more adventurous, access to the best off-piste in Europe at Alagna. Other specialists include Ski Famille, Snowbizz and Mark Warner. The best specialists will put you in accommodation with similar-aged children.
Don't... worry too much about accommodation, though I would avoid self-catering. It's the low-cost option but can be isolating and crowded. All that 'sleeps four' stuff means it's the size of a modest outhouse. I prefer hotels, but we did have a terrific time last year with Chalet Flocon, a bargain Airtours chalet in Les Deux Alpes. Lovely guests, charming chalet helpers, nice food, and the kids all got on and had a terrific time.
Do... try to get some time on a dry slope before the first trip. A couple of hours will give a child some vague familiarity with the planks, the boots, the clothes and the fact that someone will be telling them what to do all day.
Do... make sure there's a good childcare service if you need one. Many companies have excellent nannies who will look after your children in the afternoon. One year, my daughter sprained her wrist in the first hour of the first day in Tignes. Catastrophe... but we ended up having a lovely week, thanks to Hannah's patience, fine weather, some lovely mothers in our Crystal hotel who didn't want to ski but were happy to explore the mountains by cable car and chair lift with her and some brilliant nannies who laid on great childcare in the afternoons. Plus, there's a damn good cinema.
Do... watch the ski pass costs. Don't get multi-area passes for someone who will only be skiing in one. And look for bargains: Saas Fee has free skiing for children under 16.
The main skiing tour operators
Airtours (0870 238 7788)
Crystal Holidays (020 8939 5400)
Mark Warner (020 7761 7002)
Ski Esprit (01252 618300)
Ski Famille (01223 363777)
Snowbizz (01778 341455)
How to find your nearest dry ski slope
You can ring the Ski Club of Great Britain (0845 458 0783) and ask for details, or check out the English Ski Council's website and click on the following links: 'information', 'regions', 'regional map', then click on your region and click on the 'ski slopes' link.
