Snow Days.

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It’s snowing today. Well, sleeting/snowing but the kids are not in school so it counts as a snow day in my book. I can’t help but reminisce about when my kids were small and how much snow days have changed.

Five or six years ago I dreaded snow days. Like I wanted to hide in the bathroom and cry if the weatherman predicted any kind of wintery mix that would lead the county to close schools. I remember one winter my kids used all 10 of their snow days. 10 SNOW DAYS!!! I think I was certifiably looney after it was all over. Facebook didn’t help my situation either. There was always that mom posting that she was snuggled up by the fire reading a book while her kids played outside. I wanted to cut her. If you don’t remember how hard snow days are with small children you’ve been out of the game too long. Snow days with littles is WORK.

The excitement starts right when they wake up and at this point in your life that’s probably in the 6 o’clock hour. By 7:00, you’ve gotten them completely bundled in their warm clothes, boots, gloves, hats, and earmuffs. It’s at this time that one of them will most likely have to pee. It never fails. This will happen 100% of the time. Then after you’ve stripped them down so they can go pee, you get them re-bundled so they can go outside. And by “they” I mean you too, Mom. The kids will want to build a snowman, make snow angels, and maybe have a snowball fight. Sledding might even be an option if you have a good hill. All of these activities will require your help. All of them. And for a few brief moments you will love the snow day! You will think this is so much fun! The kids are playing so well together and it’s been a long time since you were able to build a snowman or make a snow angel.

Just wait a little longer. Inevitably, one child will start crying because snow went down her jacket while she was making snow angels. Another might be crying because his hands are cold from making snowballs. And the baby will surely cry because he got hit in the face with said snowballs. So just be prepared that at some point there will probably always be someone either crying or someone who’s about to cry. Since everyone is complaining of the cold you go inside, strip everyone down and put them in front of a heater, a fire, or a vent with heat blowing out of it. While they’re heating up, you pick up all the wet items that are strewn about the floor and try to find a place to put them so they can all dry out. Of course after this, hot chocolate is in order for everyone. With marshmallows of course. Once they’ve gulped down the hot chocolate, or at least eaten all the soggy marshmallows, everyone’s happy. You glance over at the clock and see it’s 7:37. The snow day magic lasted for 37 minutes and now you have the rest of the day to entertain your children. This is why snow days are hard with littles.

Today, I’m sitting in my bedroom typing on my computer while it snows outside. My kids were outside sledding all morning. Without me. I went out a little later so I could get some pictures and watch them sled down the big hill. But it occurs to me I didn’t help them get suited up, other than helping with their boots and gloves. No one had to pee after putting on all his layers. Or if he did, he didn’t need my help with that. I sent them out into the snow day like big kids because that’s what they are. Big kids. Mothers of littles, take heart. This will be you in the near future. You will be able to sit and watch your kids from your living room while drinking your morning coffee. It won’t be long. There is hope for your snow day. It won’t always be a day that makes you want to hide in the closet and eat chocolate.

Anybody else have this feeling about snow days? Let me know in the comments section!

-Courtney

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