Skiing with a child? Is it worth it? Does it make any sense? Do you really have to take your grandma or a babysitter with you? Maybe it’s better to leave your child at your grandparents’ and go for a trip just the two of you?
For a long time, we didn’t even think about going skiing. We met in the beginning of April 2009, 5 days after I got back from a ski trip to Stubai in Austria… I put the skis in my mother’s cellar, left the ski boots at my friend’s house… and it stayed like this for almost 5 years! Because during our first winter we went to India instead of skiing and dropped by in Paris on our way back. There was no time for skiing. Łukasz wasn’t a skier before and I preferred a trip to India to going skiing (even on perfectly prepared Alpine slopes). Then we got pregnant. No way we could go skiing then. And then little Maks entered our lives and we started going for long trips in the autumn and winter: Mexico, Thailand, Cambodia… The skis were left in the dusty cellar, the boots got missing over the years and in October suddenly our friends told us: skiing, march, Laax, Switzerland.
We spontaneously decided that we’ll go, even though we already had a month-long trip to Asia planned that was starting in two days. There was no time for long consideration. No time to think about Łukasz having being skiing only once when he was 16 and me not skiing at all for the past 5 years. And 2 and half year old Maks going with us. We knew it from the start that we neither can or want to go somewhere for 9 days without Maks. We try to keep trips without Maks 3-4 days maximum.
I was a bit worried about how we’re going to do it, what will Maks do while we ski, who will take care of him. Will he even want to put the skis on and try it for himself?
Having that in mind, we left for Laax for a trip organised by Zero Gravity. It turned out that it is impossible to send Maks to some activities for children since they were for kids aged 4 and above. Therefore we had to work something out!
After the first day we knew that Maks is not going to ski. He left for the ski rental with lots of enthusiasm, put on his boots, took the skis, went to the lift and that was it… We went up the mountain (he insisted on going with the lift!) and Maks didn’t even want to put his skis on. It was clear that we’re not going to be spending time together on the slope and that he needs other attractions. We prepared a plan with shifts which turned out to be petty effective. First shift went skiing from 10 am to 1 pm and the second one from 1.15 to 4.30. Everyone was happy. Thanks to some of our friends we even managed to ride a bit together! 🙂
Laax and rocksresort that we stayed in are both ideal places for families with children. Everything is close, the lift is just 20 metres from the apartment, same goes for the ski rental and a department store. The apartment is beautifully decorated and fitted with a fully equipped kitchen that makes alimentation for you and your child easy.
Thanks to Laax and rocksresort nature we didn’t have to hang out in bars on the slope with Maks. We could do whatever we want. Maks could play in the snow, ride the gondola (he loved it!) have a walk, but also play with bricks and modelling clay at home, eat breakfast and lunch in peace, sleep during the day (if he wanted to!). Those who prefer to leave their child under someone’s supervision will find a kindergarten and some activities for kids, even for the littlest ones. We even planned to go to this kindergarten and see if Maks wants to play with other kids but we didn’t make it there after all.
While Maks was building towers and garages from his bricks or travelling up and down in the gondola, we enjoyed skiing, the sun, blue sky, 235 km of blue, red and black slopes, modern chair lifts with king of all chairlifts: Porsche Design Lift fitted with profiled seats that were a great place to enjoy the magnificent views. Lots of possibilities both for the experienced skiers and beginners like Łukasz.
How about rocksresort? An ideal spot! Wood and stone, modern and cosy at the same time. I could have decorated my own flat like this 🙂 Our apartment for 4 was 60 sqm big, had 2 bedrooms, a big living room with a kitchen and a bathroom with a steam bath. You can also book an apartment for 6 or 8 persons. rocksresort is on a prestigious Design Hotels list which should be enough of a proof that it is really pretty. You probably think it’s really expensive. Well, it isn’t. I realised it yesterday after talking to my friend who just came back from a ski trip to Austria. We paid PLN 2300 per person for 7 nights and 6 days of skiing (hotel + skipass). We didn’t waste any time driving to the slope and didn’t have to drag Maks with us here and there. Looks perfect for me! (They could have lowered the prices in the restaurants a little bit and it would have been a real paradise:)
You can find more pictures on the rocksresort website and on Zero Gravity website.
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