Ski Half Term Holidays - A Light Hearted View From a Mum

With just over 10 days to go before the half term ski holidays, here's a light hearted view of the preparation and stereo typical roles that develop both prior to and on the first day of the family ski holiday for the ski half term skiing break:

So, its nearly time to go, the family ski half term holiday break is in sight, the excitement is building, the best family ski chalet has been booked months in advance, Mum has already booked the ski lessons and lift passes, and its just a case of the whole family packing the cases, all hands on deck and it will be done in a day.

Well probably not! The children will be firstly playing on the Nintendo, and then there's Dad, who will of course be surveying the net; researching the best off-piste runs in the resort, particularly important for skiing the afternoon with the 3 year old who is just learning to ski, then there's the piste that Hans Klammer won the World Cup on in 2002, and not forgetting the useful information on the number of pistes you can ski, how many black runs need to be ticked off, and the all famous 'Wall' that you need to ski by 10 o'clock on day one!

So from the above, I think it's safe to assume that it will be poor Mum who will probably be packing most items, checking what fits and doesn't, replacing old with new, and totally oblivious to the rest of the family, making sure no one's forgotten, everybody gets to the airport, passports are at hand, and all clothing is packed!

So the family have finally arrived t the chalet, and the first evening Mum will have unpacked the clothing, and laid it out ready for a controlled start, all of course unbeknown to Dad who's telling the whole party about last year's steep and deep over a glass or three of the local wine!

Then there's the morning, after a year's wait, the half term ski holiday really is about to start, Dad will have that look that only too much wine the night before can give you, although having been warned by Mum about his potential excess the night before, Dad will be of course try and disguise this by trying to look sprightly! Despite the sore head, he will however have managed to have checked his ski's about twenty times that morning, the edges tested and admired by the tip of his calibrated thumb, and the other father's will have seen him lift his perfectly waxed trophy, sorry skis, in front of them half a dozen times (yes darling they do look smooth and shiny), all in between discussing continuously today's ski itinerary over breakfast!

And after breakfast, as the children exit smoothly from the chalet, Dad will now be asking Mother what all the fuss was about prior to departure and arrival in the resort! Arriving at the ski school, Dad will without doubt need to take control, now claiming total responsibility for their on time arrival, Dad's last cup of coffee, the final surveying of the piste map (whilst Mum got the children ready) obviously making the difference!

But looking on the bright side Mother's, after all the Father's planning of the routes and pistes you are going to ski on day one, at least you can ski with the confidence that you won't get lost until the second run, and it will be only 5 out of 6 days that you find yourself the wrong side of the mountain with just five minutes to collect the children from ski school!!

Happy half term ski holidays!