Childcare
Arrangements on a Family Ski Holiday
All
parents know how tiring looking after kids all day can be and those of
you who have skied before will also know how exhausting skiing can be -
even without kids. So with this in mind you will want to carefully plan
your childcare options before you book your ski holiday.
Firstly
consider whether you need full or part time childcare, this will depend
on the age of your kids and how much time you anticipate skiing
together. If you’re a die-hard ski junkie and this is the
only
week of the year to get your fix then you may want to consider booking
full-time childcare. There’s no need to feel guilty about
this
– your kids will enjoy ski school more than skiing with you
if
you’re irritated by having to stay on the nursery slopes all
day.
However, if you are of a similar skiing ability as your kids and you
want to enjoy some time with them on the piste, part time childcare may
be a better option.
If
your kids are booked into ski school then they may need less child care
than younger non skiing children. But rememnber that many ski schools
are only for a couple of hours in the morning and even the all day
classes often break for lunch. You will need to make arrangements for
the kids to be dropped off at and collected from each lesson which is
not always easy if you also have lessons booked or would rather be
skiing for a full day on another part of the mountain.
Below is summary of the options
open to you:
Crèches
& Kids Clubs
Many
specialist ski holiday companies and the larger tour operators run
fabulous crèches and kids clubs. Some companies have a
better
reputation for their childcare than others so do look at websites, ask
in our forum and quiz your friends for good recommendations. Check with
the holiday company to find out what ratio of carers to children they
have and what time they run until. Also find out if the staff
speak English! You’ll enjoy skiing much more with the peace
of
mind that your children are being well cared for and enjoying
themselves.
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Nannies
& Au pairs
Another option, albeit a rather
expensive
one, is to take a nanny or au pair with you. It’s important
to make sure
everyone knows what is expected of them before you leave, for example
the hours they will work, days off, babysitting duties, who they will
eat with, etc? They might also be keen to ski so it's good to make
arrangements early on so everyone is happy and the holiday runs
smoothly.
Grandparents
& Relatives
Lots
of families take the grandparents or other relatives along on a ski
holiday to help with the childcare. Having a reliable relative on hand
means you can go off and ski for the day knowing the kids are in safe
hands. Most grandparents will relish the opportunity to spend some
quality time with their grandchildren but, again, it's important to
discuss what everyone's expectations will be for the holiday. Bear in
mind grandparents won't necessarily have the back up of
crèches
and kids clubs available to stop the kids getting bored so check what
other children’s activities are available in the resort
before
you book.
Looking
After the Kids Yourself
Of
course it’s perfectly possible to enjoy a family ski holiday
without any childcare. Even if you don’t have any formal
child
care you may want to book your kids into ski school so you can al least
have a couple of hours to yourselves on the slopes each day. Also
consider what type of accommodation will suit your family most and
allow you some time to relax in evenings.
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