Remember that snow day we had a few weeks ago? It was awful; we got at least two feet by my count. I shoveled for hours and nearly lost a toe to frostbite. Thank goodness it was all plowed by the next day… oh, wait. Nevermind. There was a snow day, but we barely got a dusting. In my yard, it didn’t even cover the grass fully.
Snow falls from the sky, unbidden, yada yada, but snow days are different. They fall from whoever has the unenviable task of making the robocall to homes to let people know that schools will be closed. I feel bad for that person because no matter the decision, half the town will be mad about it.
After carefully consulting weather reports, school staff, and perhaps a Magic 8 Ball, a decision arrives, but the process seems fraught with peril. Even if it’s the right call, there will still be those criticizing why the schools didn’t decide sooner, why it was on Channel 7 instead of Channel 5, or some other ridiculous issue.
There are no school-age kids at my house anymore; those days are over for me. I work from home, too, so unless I’m writing about something I have to physically see or experience outside of my house, my day is unaffected by the weather. My mood is another issue entirely, but that’s a different column.
I still pay attention to the weather, and I’m lucky to have two good friends, Alan and Steve, who are experts in severe weather and are always happy to give me the straight scoop without all the TV hype. Together, they have a way better batting average than most broadcasters, so I go with whatever they tell me. Weeks before Groundhog Day, I know how much longer winter will last, and I don’t have to watch some poor rodent get yanked out of the dirt.
My question on snow days, though, is this: When did we start letting someone else decide what we do for a day? Sure, if schools are closed, your kids are home, and there’s not much you can do about that. But, if they don’t call a snow day, as long as you’re not violating the attendance policy and calling your kid out every week — yes, skiers, we see you on Fridays, writing those notes about a dentist appointment or a college visit — make your own call.
If you wake up and the roads are slick or your driveway is icy, a school department employee is not the boss of you. If you don’t think it’s safe, call the school, tell them your kids will be home, and make pancakes. Bacon, too, because, let’s face it, you probably went to the grocery when you heard snow in the forecast, and you know you have it in the house.
I’m in favor of parent-led snow days. And they don’t even have to be in the winter if you ask me. Once in a great while, it’s perfectly fine to say, “Hey, teacher! Leave them kids alone!” Adults take a “mental health day” now and then; why can’t kids? It shouldn’t require satellite radar, bombogenesis, and bad roads to justify a day off.
Our children are in school for 13 years and usually more after that. They have their whole lives to be where someone else says they have to be, doing work someone higher up says they have to do. A spontaneous day off here and there is a gift of time: time to watch bad TV shows, eat snacks in bed, and stay in their jammies all day. It’s a mental reset, and they need it.
We’re coming to the end of another winter, and there might not be any more snow days, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make one up. Call it whatever you want, but your kids will thank you for giving them time. We can’t create more days; when they’re grown and gone, they’ll be too busy to make cookies with you and fall asleep watching “Big Bang Theory” reruns. Let it “snow,” even if it’s just at your house.
Brenda Kelley Kim has lived in Marblehead for 50 years, and is an author, freelance writer, and mother of three. Her column appears weekly.