I learned to ski when I was very small, because my parents took my brothers and me to ski with them almost as soon as we could walk. So when I started snowboarding at 11, I thought it would be easy. But on the first day of a family snowboarding holiday, I got on my new snowboard and went down a small hill – and immediately fell! I couldn’t stop, so if my brothers stopped in front of me, I made them fall too! They were brilliant because they showed me exactly what to do – but they laughed at me, too!
When I started to improve, my parents decided to take us further up the mountain on a ski lift. As we got higher, we could see right over the tops of the trees below. When we got off the lift, we all jumped onto our snowboards and went down the mountain – including me! And I was the first one of the family to get to the bottom!
My knees hurt a bit afterwards, but I was fine. I still think I like skiing better, but I’d certainly like to try snowboarding again!

Steven
My parents sent me to drama school when I was eight.
It is the biggest drama school in the country. The school day begins at eight o’clock. We do dance, music, theatre or project work in the morning. After lunch, we change into our school uniform and have normal school lessons until 4.30 pm. Sometimes at the weekend we put on shows or have sports competitions with other schools. I love it!
Martin
My parents started teaching me at home when we moved to the countryside because my old school was too far away.
I wake up at eight o’clock and begin classes an hour later. In the mornings, my mum teaches me Maths and Science. In the afternoon, I do sports or Art with my dad. My weekends are free. I like home schooling because I can sometimes choose my own projects and I can wear what I like.
Thomas
I live in my school and I go home to see my parents in the holidays. They live in France, so sometimes I miss them.
We wake up early – at 6.45 am, have breakfast and start the first lesson at 8.40 am. There are six lessons every weekday. We also have two lessons on Saturday morning. There is no uniform, but we have to wear smart clothes.
I am not great at studying, but I win a lot of prizes for football and tennis.