Remember the childhood ritual of wearing pajamas inside out and backwards, a superstitious dance of hope summoning snow days? Those magical mornings when you’d hover by the television, waiting to see your school’s name flash across the ticker—confirming an unexpected day of winter freedom? Ahh, the memories. While today’s snow days look different, they can still sparkle with their own kind of magic.
If your kids are lucky enough to experience a Snow Day this Winter, it is likely that you’ll have to go digging to find the password to your Google Classroom account again. To help keep things running smoothly when the weather changes your daily plans, we put together a few helpful tips to keep your fam in a routine amidst spontaneous school closures.
Take Action the Night Before
If your local forecast is predicting snowfall by the morning, do yourself a favor and set your kids up for their digital work day before they go to sleep. Trust us, there’s no worse way to start the day than by trying to find a missing computer charger for a dead Chromebook, three minutes before the school day is supposed to start. Make sure to check all the group chats… even the ones you muted—this is no time for Do Not Disturb! If you’ve received confirmation, or have a really good feeling, that your kiddo’s school will be closed, create a workspace the night before.
It’s Okay For Kids To Be Bored
Yes, your kids may moan and groan for a little bit that they are “soooo borrreedddd”. But, if you resist the urge to create things for them to do (especially if you’ve got a full workday on deck), they will likely find a way to entertain themselves alone. The second that you offer for them to clean the cupboards or vacuum the floors, they will magically find an activity to occupy the time. It works every time!
Lower Your Standards for the Day
If your house is a mess, let it be. If your pile of laundry is still a pile of laundry, don’t worry about folding it. Give yourself grace by not creating pressure to catch up on life while you have an unexpected day at home. Especially, because you’re not home alone enjoying the peace and quiet—your day might consist of you consoling your youngest who just got hit in the face with a snowball, while yelling at your dog to not eat the yellow snow. It sounds like you have enough on your plate!
Make a Snow Day Tradition To Take Up Some TimeAdopting a fun Snow Day tradition can help take some of the chaos out of a day that has absolutely no itinerary. It gives you a part of your day that resembles a routine—it’s familiar, you know it’s coming, and it creates something for everyone to look forward to. This could be eating pancakes for dinner—even better when you don’t have to actually cook the meal (wink, wink). Or, it could be putting on a special movie that you only play on Snow Days. Whatever it is, use this strategy to help your family embrace Snow Days. These days may not happen that often, but when they do, just remember that it’s an opportunity for everyone to be under the roof at the same time!
