HelperElfMissy 42 Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 I want to hear some opinions from you guys to help me decide what I am going to do about Bear Cub aged 11 and the school ski trip next year...here goes. Year 7 (approx 12yrs old) at our kids school have the option to go on the Yr 7 Ski Trip. Older 2 kids went in thier time, but it was thier first time to snow, so they had beginner ski lessons and had a ball. I would like the same 'travel with school mates' experience for the little kids, but the problem is they are competant snowboarders and the school only allows skiing. My dilemma. Do I send the kid (and there are at least 2 others in the same positions as him) and tell him tough - he needs to do beginner ski lessons, and leave him to deal with the frustrations of repeated falling on the learners slope, when he wants to be riding tree's? Do I give the ski trip a miss for him, and take him boarding with the family instead? Do I try and change the school policy to allow snowboarders? I asked one of the teachers why there were no snowboarders allowed. The reasons he gave are: 1. Snowboarding is more dangerous than skiing and there are more frequent and serious injuries. We want the kids to be safe. 2. Snowboarders hold up the group getting on and off the lifts. 3. Snowboarders are a danger to the skiers. I proposed to him, to consider it a possibility for next year if there were snowboarding parent volunteers to take the snowboarders as a group, separate on the slope, to the skiers. I understand them making a rule that all ski trippers who are new to the sport need to ski, but if a kid is competant on intermediate plus and had his own gear I think they are safer boarding than learning to ski... I am interested to hear what you all have to say - what would you think if it was your kid. What would you do? Link to post Share on other sites
iiyamadude 6 Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Where's the school trip to by the way, Mamabear? Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted April 3, 2008 Author Share Posted April 3, 2008 Will be in Oz. Previous years Hotham, but this year Falls Creek...next year ... who knows. If they enjoy Falls they might go back there again. The High School boys go to NZ - Cadrona. But they allow snowboarding. No problem there. Older two are booked for this year. Link to post Share on other sites
aomorigum 0 Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Quote: 2. Snowboarders hold up the group getting on and off the lifts. So true, so true..... Link to post Share on other sites
tsondaboy 0 Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Originally Posted By: Mamabear My dilemma. Do I send the kid (and there are at least 2 others in the same positions as him) and tell him tough - he needs to do beginner ski lessons, and leave him to deal with the frustrations of repeated falling on the learners slope, when he wants to be riding tree's? Do I give the ski trip a miss for him, and take him boarding with the family instead? Do I try and change the school policy to allow snowboarders? How about asking the kid what he wants to do for a start? Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted April 3, 2008 Author Share Posted April 3, 2008 tsonda, of course I did that already! He wants to snowboard. He said he will be happy to do one ski lesson day in a weeks trip to the snow, and slowly learn how, but he does not want to lose a full week on his butt! LOL He would like me to try and get the school to change thier mind and allow boarders. But if I try and fail is it better for me to send him for the experience of holidaying with peers....or is it better to take him with us (again) and letting him board. What is the important factor in this trip - the ski/board time or the holidaying with peers? I have been hashing this out since January, I would just like some other opinions, a bit more balance perhaps. Link to post Share on other sites
tsondaboy 0 Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Are you a teacher in the school or member of the parents association? Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 If the teacher's can't be convinced then if the kid wants to go he has to suck it up buttercup. You never know he may leave the dark side Link to post Share on other sites
Kingofmyrrh 0 Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Originally Posted By: Mamabear 2. Snowboarders hold up the group getting on and off the lifts. 3. Snowboarders are a danger to the skiers. So true. Get the lad on skis and save his soul! Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted April 3, 2008 Author Share Posted April 3, 2008 Originally Posted By: Kingofmyrrh Originally Posted By: Mamabear 2. Snowboarders hold up the group getting on and off the lifts. 3. Snowboarders are a danger to the skiers. So true. Get the lad on skis and save his soul! Ohh funny. Yes I am a member of the parents association, also a parent rep for year 6 and year 12. From what I am told it is one teacher who makes the decisions about the ski trip - the trip is his baby. It is him who I would need to convince. I don't have any objection to the boy learning to ski, I am just worried that he wont have a great time like the older kids did because it will be frustrating for him. Also his 2 best friends are in the same position and are taking a much stronger - "nup! not going if I can't board" stand. It would be an easy decision to say, no - we will give it a miss and take you to Japan in Jan instead, except that he has been looking forward to it for 6 years, since his oldest brother went and came home with stories of snowball fights, shared nacho plates for lunch and all the other great stuff boys do on school camps. The other option for us is to make sure he has a few days of SKI school in July, and again in January - then at least he will be on his way and not a complete rank beginner for the school trip. Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 that seems sensible Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted April 3, 2008 Author Share Posted April 3, 2008 Originally Posted By: aomorigum Quote: 2. Snowboarders hold up the group getting on and off the lifts. So true, so true..... Not this kid. He rides in FLOWS, the only hold up is at the bottom of the lift when they freeze up and take some jiggling to unclip - rarely happens in Aus, and the lift queues are long enough that he can jiggle away in the queue! At the top he is clipped in and away almost as quick as a skier. Link to post Share on other sites
Oyuki kigan 0 Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Originally Posted By: MikePow If the teacher's can't be convinced then if the kid wants to go he has to suck it up buttercup. You never know he may leave the dark side Link to post Share on other sites
tsondaboy 0 Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Originally Posted By: Mamabear Yes I am a member of the parents association, also a parent rep for year 6 and year 12. In that case, cant you offer to escort the kids in the trip and be responsible for the snowboarders? Probably other mothers are going to support you in this. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted April 3, 2008 Author Share Posted April 3, 2008 Yes Tsonda, I ran that past my son's teacher who goes on the trip every year. He goes with the kids in July and ski's Europe in January (for the past 20 years) - I suggested he try Hakuba next year! I asked him to discuss it with the rest of the ski trip team and consider going if there were parent volunteers. I believe as the kids are 11 or 12 yrs old they like to keep the kids in groups and have someone responsible in front and behind the group. Just in my family alone we could provide a front and back person for two groups there's hubby, me and the two older boys. I am not confident to take responsibility for a group on black terrain - but the others are if it is needed. And that is just us. I am happy to volunteer. Just trying to weigh up whether it is such a good idea for "mummy" to go on the trip if YKWIM. Lots of options! Doing my head in! See why I need you guys!! Link to post Share on other sites
tsondaboy 0 Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 well, I guess it would have sucked if my mother got to escort me in the school trip... Link to post Share on other sites
TJ OZ 0 Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Nothing wrong with learning how to ski as well. He should be able to pick it up quickly. I betcha he will choose to go skiing if the other option is not to go at all. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted April 3, 2008 Author Share Posted April 3, 2008 Originally Posted By: tsondaboy Probably other mothers are going to support you in this. There are AT LEAST two others who would like to see it happen. The girls we have been to Niseko with TWICE. The fathers would be more than capable to supervise groups all over the mountain - and may well be able to free up the time to do it. Might not be the right personality (read patience) though. The mothers would do it in a heart beat. One ski's, but she enjoys riding the mountain alongside boarders - no problem there. There must be others. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted April 3, 2008 Author Share Posted April 3, 2008 Originally Posted By: TJ OZ Nothing wrong with learning how to ski as well. He should be able to pick it up quickly. I betcha he will choose to go skiing if the other option is not to go at all. I think you are right TJ OZ. He will want to go. He is quite flexible so will adapt - especially if we give him a couple of lessons this July and Jan in between boarding. The bigger issue is the other two kids - they are less flexible. I would hate to see them miss out on the great 'mate' time. I am tending toward giving the kid some ski lessons and leaving the school alone...it helps to hear all perspectives and talk it out. Link to post Share on other sites
tsondaboy 0 Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Nope, forget the escorting him option. You are gonna doom him to be bullied for the rest of his life from his classmates! Link to post Share on other sites
Rag-Doll 0 Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Those SOBs. Move your kid to a new school Mama. Do it, do it now! Any school that doesn't support snowboarding is clearly a dangerous place for a young and inmpressionable mind! On the other hand you could point out to your boy that lots of people swap between skiing and snowboarding and back again and there are situations and times when skiing offers more fun and options, particularly when the pow is scarce like it tends to be in Oz. Here is a chance to learn to ski with friends without any hassles. It's not like everyone else is off snowboarding and he is missing out. Also, as he is already a competent boarder he will find the basics of skiing (edge control, sliding, weight distribution etc.) that much easier to pick up. That's not to say he will be ducking ropes and dodging trees on his first day riding skis but I think he will be surprised how much faster he will pick up the basics compared to his non-snow buddies. You could also point out that the world is full of opportunities to try new and different things. It is part of what makes life fun. He should see this as an opportunity to do something new and different that he would otherwise not normally do. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted April 3, 2008 Author Share Posted April 3, 2008 Originally Posted By: tsondaboy well, I guess it would have sucked if my mother got to escort me in the school trip... Yeah. He and I went off just the 2 of us exploring in Niseko - we enjoy one anothers company.... BUT .... I am not silly...the kid doesn't want Mummy hanging around on a school trip. He might not realise that until we got there though. I think ski lessons, and suck it up Buttercup might be the answer. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted April 3, 2008 Author Share Posted April 3, 2008 Rag-doll, Great point! And with 2 opportunities for some ski lessons prior to the school trip (2 for him - way more for the little dude!) he might actually have a great time on ski's! I feel for his mates who are resistant though. The whole experience of going away with peers helps them grow up confident and independent. If they only ever travel with thier parents they are missing out on something I think... Ohh Ohhh Ohhh! I just thought of another bonus! At least if he is skiing he will be renting the gear - no need to carry board, boots and bindings! There's a bonus for him! Link to post Share on other sites
tsondaboy 0 Posted April 3, 2008 Share Posted April 3, 2008 Who is in charge of the school trip, the school principal or one of the teachers? Do you parents have to pay participation fees or is it for free? Do you have any idea whats the travel agency that makes all the trip arrangements? Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted April 3, 2008 Author Share Posted April 3, 2008 It is school sanctioned - an official school trip, but without the particular teachers who 'run' it it would not happen. I am not sure of the situation in the Senior School - I know they go off in ski/board school groups and hang in small groups for free time riding. Parents pay for the trip, it is not free or subsidized. There is a benefit of a group school booking on the airfares, accomodation and bulk purchase of lift passes/lessons. There is an extra charge for snowboarders on the senior trip - but this is purely for snowboard gear hire, as the ski gear is negotiated as an inlcusion, but not the snowboard gear - doesn't effect us as the kids have thier own and BYO. No idea about the travel agent, but likely the school uses one agent for thier many trips (they do language exchanges to Japan, France and Germany, and they do charity work in various countries - Son#2 is off to Nepal in September) When the older two kids went we were thrilled because not being a snow sports family we were able to give them the opportunity to go at a reasonable cost with people who knew what they were doing. Now it is a bit different as the snow addiction got us too!! LOL They have a number limit of participants, I think 30 in the Yr 7 trip, that is about 1/3 of the number of students in that year. In the 6 yrs we have been at the school they have never had the full 30 from Yr7 and had to open up to Yr6's to reach the 30. The Senior Trip was initially for Yr11's, but this year my Yr10 and Yr12 are going - and there are still 3 places available, just 3 months out. Link to post Share on other sites
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