To travel in term time or not to travel at all ...

A guest post from Ski Famille founding Director Mel Sharp:

This is for all parents who are appalled at the price of holidays outside term time. Don’t despair. There may be an answer.

As part of a keen skiing family and someone who is involved in running a ski business it was impossible for us to take a holiday at half term or Easter, as the school holidays were always our busiest periods. So I was forced to go cap in hand to various headteachers over the years, to plead my case, for taking the children out of school for a ski holiday.

Though initially usually viewed with disapproval I finally managed to grind them into submission, simply because I was passionate about and had very firm views on the subject. In fact, we had one enlightened headmistress who was wholly in favour of it.

I found the best arguments were as follows:

1. If a child excels at any sport, be it rugby, cricket or swimming, they are usually highly praised and encouraged by their school. Often schools include events like cricket tours and swimming galas within the school term. So if kids can skip a week’s lessons for those why should it be any different with skiing?

2. Taking a ski holiday shouldn’t be viewed the same as taking a week spent lying on a beach. It is an education in itself. Children return from a ski holiday fit and healthy from all the exercise and fresh air having spent a happy week without the need for computer games or TV screens. They experience a different culture, new foods and breathtaking scenery that you will never find on a day out to a Theme Park.

3. Foreign language learning is at an all time low in schools at present, because many children don’t see the necessity and therefore find lessons boring. In a ski resort, they get the point. Children experience a different language first hand particularly with the ski schools and for many it gives them a compelling reason why learning French or Italian at school could be useful.

As long as my children were not in an exam year I always found that they caught up with the missed lessons quickly and easily. The lure of a ski holiday and a week off school was always a great incentive for working just that little bit harder.

By taking a holiday in term time, you as parents will benefit from empty pistes, a choice of restaurant, lack of queues at the lifts and of course a very reasonably priced package. There really is no downside.

Give it a go – I promise you won’t regret it.

Mel
www.skifamille.co.uk