Toddler Skiing Rules of Engagement

My family went on a ski vacation last year and we had a great time. There were some lessons learned so i threw them together as we plan our 2009 trip. If you have any to add let me know. I will be editing as Caitlin reminds me of others i have forgot about.

1. Go with other families - It all about job share. The key is to get in some quality skiing with friends or your significant other. If families share the load it can work out well.

2. Stay at the Ski Hill – the less you have to travel the more time you can actually ski. Packing up, driving, unloading, reloading, every day is too much of a hassle. Plus this enables you to eat at the condo and make sure you don’t miss any naps. See rule #7.

3. Rent Ski’s before you go – Standing in line at the ski hill is just a waste of time. Plus it is usually more expensive than renting near your home.

4. Have a schedule for adults and kids – A tight schedule will help folks know what to expect. I regret not setting one up so that

5.Pre book ski school – most places enable you to book your kids in ski school a head of time ensuring them a spot and minimizing the hassle of lines that seem to create stuch a

6. Don’t split days – Rather than try to ski for one half of a day I would suggest taking the whole day off and let your spouse or friends take a whole day and then reciprocate for you the next day. The logistics involved in hand off and schlepping across parking lots to a condo minimize your ski time and make the family time more tense…especially when one person gets lost on the other side of a hill and is an hour late.

7. Don’t miss a nap – A cranky skier is an unhappy skier. The combination of family, physical activity, and added stimulation make it important to stay on schedule. Nothing was more disappointing than being called off the ski hill to pick up my daughter who had fallen asleep in ski school. I felt bad for all of us, but really it was our fault for pushing her past her limit.

8. Bring Snacks For Every Place – Lots of calories being burned and great for bribery if you hit a snag in line, getting up a hill, etc.

9. Sledding Day – Huge hit no matter what! It seems expensive but is so worth it. Bring a camera it is the best photo experience.