You pictured wholesome sibling bonding, rosy cheeks and a family photograph in which everyone looks delighted to be wearing four layers? Well, tough luck. Instead, one child is asking whether the lifts open before breakfast while the other has declared skiing “the worst thing humans have ever invented”. Preferably while lying face-down in the snow, of course.

Different interests do not mean the holiday is doomed, though. The trick is to stop treating skiing as the main event for everybody and start planning a mountain holiday with several equally valid ways to enjoy it. And here’s how.

Choose the resort for both children

This one sounds quite obvious, but when researching your perfect family ski holidays, look beyond piste kilometres and black-run bragging rights. Your keen skier needs suitable terrain and lessons that match their ability, while your reluctant child needs a resort that still functions when skis are removed. Check for swimming pools, ice skating, sledging, snowshoe walks, cinemas, craft sessions, climbing walls or a village that is just fun to explore. Current resort programmes show just how broad the options have become: Val d’Isère, for example, promotes museums, winter walks, sledging, skating, mini snowmobiles and an Aquasport Centre alongside skiing. That’s a lot of options!

You want your accommodation somewhere central, with easy access to both the lifts and non-ski activities, to prevent one parent from spending half the week operating an unpaid taxi service. Before booking, involve both children in choosing a few activities. They do not get complete control (this is a holiday, not a small and badly managed democracy after all), but having a say can turn the non-skier from reluctant passenger into enthusiastic participant.

Split up without making it a big thing

You do not need to spend every waking minute together simply because the trip has the word “family” in it. Divide and conquer, if you ask me. One adult can head to the slopes with the enthusiastic child while the other takes the non-skier swimming, skating or in search of an offensively expensive hot chocolate. Swap the next day so both parents get time on the mountain and with each child. Ski school can make this easier, particularly if your keen skier enjoys learning with children of a similar age rather than waiting politely while the family catches up. 

For single-parent trips, or when only one adult skis, investigate supervised clubs and organised non-ski sessions before you travel; places can be limited during school holidays though. There should still be shared anchors in the day; after all, the aim is not to run two entirely separate holidays. It is to give everyone enough individual enjoyment that they can reunite without immediately blaming a sibling for ruining their life.

Make skiing optional, but leave the door open

Forcing a child onto the slopes rarely produces a lifelong passion. It is far more likely to produce tears and resentment. Offer low-pressure ways to try skiing instead: maybe a private lesson, a short beginner session or an hour in a snow garden, followed by something they have chosen? Avoid comparing siblings or telling the reluctant child how much money the trip cost. Nothing creates sporting enthusiasm quite like receiving an itemised invoice from your parents, doesn’t it?

If they still hate it, believe them. They may prefer snowboarding, cross-country skiing or simply enjoying the mountains without attaching equipment to their feet. Meanwhile, practical preparation can prevent ordinary discomfort being mistaken for hatred of the entire sport. Cold hands, badly fitted boots and hunger can end a child’s skiing career remarkably quickly, so use this family ski trip packing guide to organise layers, gloves, goggles and snacks before departure.

Build a holiday that can change shape

A rigid itinerary is risky when children have different energy levels and opinions. Plan the important pieces (lessons, childcare and any activities that require advance booking), but leave free afternoons and easy alternatives. A rest day halfway through the trip can rescue everyone’s mood, including the child who claims they could ski from dawn until midnight but is now sobbing because somebody looked at their chips. 

It also helps to set expectations before travelling: each person chooses one priority, nobody must copy their sibling, and everyone joins at least one shared activity. That’s good advice on planning any family-friendly holiday by the way. Balancing interests and retaining enough flexibility to adapt to changing moods isn’t easy, but definitely worth the work.

Do not forget the unglamorous safety admin either. The latest FCDO winter-sports guidance advises checking that insurance covers every planned activity and notes that an EHIC or GHIC does not replace travel insurance or cover costs such as mountain rescue – so make sure you’ve got this covered as well.

So in short: Tailor the plans, split up when necessary and meet again for the good bits. Preferably somewhere warm, with chips.