Think back to when you were a child. Was there anything better than a snow day? We’d be gathered at the breakfast table, radio blaring, little sister with her hands folded in prayer, little brother jumping around with all his fingers crossed, as we shushed each other, waiting to hear WHDH’s Jess Cain read the school cancellation lists. “Boston!” Yay! It meant a day of free-pass TV, reading for the fun of it, endless board game competitions, helping Daddy shovel, putting on 600 pounds of warm clothes to make snow angels, snow balls, snow forts and the hugest snow man in the world. Wet mittens on the radiator! Then there was helping Mama reduce her inventory of hot cocoa and cookies. The “Snow Day.” It was one of the joys of a New England childhood.
I can’t tell you how many news stories I’ve read recently that describe the push for kids to consider a snow day a “school at home” day, for example, this Washington Post article.
I value education and understand the desire to not let kids slide back on their in-school progress. I also understand that childhood is too fleeting; that this whole world, from movies to TV to the Internet, is trying to make our kids grow up too fast. Having a day to pelt the friends next door with snow balls, to stick out tongues to catch snow flakes, to have Grandma teach you how to make maple snow candy; Priceless.
Here’s perfect music if you just want to stare out the window: Debussy’s “Snow is Dancing:”
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