Snow day

Every time a snowstorm is in the forecast, I start talking like this:





And my kids generally glaze over just like Squidward: "I think I'll pass."

We're on snow day #7 or 8 for this season, and despite my board-games-and-cocoa aspirations, in reality, snow days usually end with me yelling and the kids pouting. Who am I kidding? They usually begin that way!

Snow days today are not like the snow days of my youth. When I was a kid snow days were a Big Frigging Deal, man. First of all, they didn't happen often (because I lived in the mid-Atlantic) and when they did, we were all off together (my parents were teachers). Second, we really did do things like play board games and drink hot cocoa. Snow days were novel and super fun.

And we played outside as much as our frozen fingers and toes would allow. I felt great regret if we didn't build a snowman every snowfall; I remember a particularly ambitious Snow Dinosaur one year, as well, that all the kids on our street helped build. Sledding was the ultimate - when I was Zippy's age, I spent entire afternoons at the town sledding hill, which was, ironically, right behind the elementary school. In big storms like this one today, the neighborhood dads stuck beers (or Pepsi, like my dad) in the snow banks while they shoveled, and by mid-afternoon, there'd be a full-fledged block party.

Snow days now are not so exciting, really. We live in Maine, for one, so snow days happen a lot. In fact, this week's blizzard forecast got an actual eyeroll from both my children. They've had enough. And usually it's so cold and/or windy that playing outside isn't really an option - or it's a short-lived option. Our neighborhood isn't a beers-in-the-snowdrifts sort of 'hood, either.

There's also the work thing that gets in the way: Snow days are not really days off for parents. Even before I was working from home full-time, I have been expected to work from home even if the office was closed. Which means I can't really enjoy time with the kids - no board games, no tic-tac-toe, just a little bit of cocoa - and I get all tied in knots with working-mommy guilt while they spend the whole day staring at screens and trolling for snacks. By the time dinner rolls around, we're all murderous.

Today, though, has been different. Because Honey is "between jobs" at present, he vowed to be Fun Parent while I focused on being Work Parent. And it was fabulous. I sat here snug on the sofa (because my porch office was darn cold in the windy snow) churning through proposals and manuscripts and title decisions while the guys played actual board games together! They also reorganized Zippy's bedroom, cleared our Happy's closet, managed the laundry, played video games with friends, listened to music, and worked on Zippy's pinewood derby car. Nobody yelled. Nobody pouted. Nobody even asked for snacks!

Magical late-season snow dumping from the sky, sealing us all in our cozy little house, forcing happy memories. SpongeBob would approve. Pass the cocoa!