| I recently read a piece in a well known UK Sunday | | | | Skiing after all is a contact sport (usually with the |
| newspaper. It was written by a Mum who Hates | | | | ground) and involves much physical effort. In these |
| Skiing, and wonders why mums go to Purgatory and | | | | aspects it compares with soccer and rugby, and if |
| back once a year on the family skiing holiday. There | | | | you're not a sporty person it seems daft to take |
| was a picture of her standing on top of a snow | | | | part in them. Watch from the sidelines. Enjoy the |
| capped mountain in the sunshine surrounded by her | | | | fresh air and sunshine. But leave the action to the |
| small children. She was smiling for the camera. The | | | | daft people doing their daft thing. Don't get caught in |
| children looked glum in their ski helmets; on reading | | | | the Ski Mums Web. |
| the article the reason becomes clear - they couldn't | | | | In thirty five years of teaching people to ski I have |
| wait to get going, haring straight off down the slope | | | | come across dozens of women, who once they |
| like competitors in the Schilthorn Inferno - great, I like | | | | have started a family, no longer have the desire to |
| it! | | | | ski, but carry on regardless, hating what they are |
| But why was Mum hating every minute of it - she | | | | doing, and frightened of injury to themselves and |
| wouldn't take off her own ski helmet as she felt it | | | | their children. |
| set a good example to her children. They are the | | | | And on the subject of injuries, let me console you |
| downhill ravers, not her. After all Mum, ski helmets | | | | with this - take my word for it and check the ski |
| keep your ears warm at over 50 mph and they help | | | | injury statistics out elsewhere. |
| you go faster too - more weight and less drag - but | | | | There is no firm evidence that ski helmets have |
| don't let me upset you even more. Skiing is incredibly | | | | either reduced fatalities or injuries on the ski slopes. |
| dangerous and a complete pain ... | | | | Secondly the percentage of skiers who sustain |
| It would be better to do what my wife does on our | | | | reportable injuries has hardly changed in 15 years, and |
| family skiing holiday. She was a pretty good skier; I | | | | it's very low. A 1990 figure from a French medical |
| married her so that I could follow her down the | | | | insurance company covering the French Alps gave |
| mountain and learn about self control - but I never | | | | 0.3%, that's 3 people in every 1000 skiers, and a |
| did. She hung up her boots after getting four children | | | | report from Dr Mike Langran, a doctor from |
| started on the mountain and now belongs to the | | | | Aviemore in Scotland, gives a figure of under 0.5% |
| 'whenever I feel the urge to take excercise I sit | | | | for 2004/5. I guess this figure is slightly more owing |
| down and wait for the urge to pass' school, and I | | | | to the presence of surprise heather tufts and skiers |
| don't blame her. | | | | wearing kilts instead of ski pants (nasty burns), but |
| Mum, go back to the chalet and settle down with a | | | | this needs checking out. |
| vin chaud, a log fire and your friends. The children will | | | | So, dear Mum, you can either despair and carry on |
| be happier and so will you! If you hate even getting | | | | with the family skiing holiday, or give in to the |
| on the plane at Gatwick (most of us do but we're | | | | welcoming arms of a comfortable chair, a log fire and |
| prepared to suffer that), stay at home! Really! I | | | | a vin chaud. Your children wouldn't mind, would you |
| mean it. A family skiing holiday is not for you. | | | | children? |