Go, go snow days!

Now that I am a teacher I must say – Snow days are the best days ever! If you take snow days as I think they should be taken, a suspension from reality and responsibility, than like me, you will be more excited about them than the kids will. Think about it, it is like a bonus day on which to do nothing, or do what is irresponsible because you were going to be at work that day and were not going to get anything “productive” done anyway. And snow days come with their own guaranteed exercise program (shoveling)to be sure one does not become a complete couch potato. Today after my 5:30 wake up school is cancelled call, I decided to stay up and cruise the internet. When my daughter woke up at 6:30, excited to spend the whole day with ME, we started to make crafts. We made holiday bookmark/cards for everyone at my work and at her school. It was so much fun. All we needed was card stock, fancy cutting scissors, ribbon, glue, and glitter. Wha-lah, fun time spent together and a whole bunch of happy holiday greetings out of the way. What a fun, fun snow day.

After fixing lunch and playing in the snow, we had some hot chocolate and took a nap together. A nap in the middle of the day, imagine that decadent luxury! To put the cherry on that, when we woke up we read a book, or more precisely, we each read our own book. I am so pleased that my first grader enjoys reading as much as I do and we can sit together and read separately. (Although that doesn’t take away any of the time we spend reading together either - I also keep my promise that I would never stop reading to her, until she asked me to, which was a big concern she had when she started reading by herself. Usually we take turns with chapter books.) Snow day reading should be a pleasure book (new rule)- not one for school, not one my students read, not one for a hobby, and not one aimed to advance oneself in anyway. Ahhh, lovely. It is rare to have an opportunity to read for enjoyment; snow days must have come about solely for that purpose...
Although I don’t like driving in the snow, I love watching the snow and listening to the quiet of the snow, especially early in the morning before anyone else is awake. Snow days are my new favorite transcendent days of the year. From now on I’m with all the kids, and hoping for more fluffy white stuff to confine us to our homes. Snow days are like being given the gift of time. I could have cleaned the house… Pfft. No way! That would be squandering my guilt free gift from the Universe. Go Snow!