Posted in Seasonal, Tuesday Talk

Snow Days

Posted on by jgalvinwhite

Hello from snowy Kentucky!

We finally got some snow yesterday, and it made me so happy.

I’m linking up with Joanne to talk about…

…the perfect snow day.

So, I had this post in mind last week, and thought if I wrote it, maybe Mother Nature would take the hint and throw some snow our way….but then we actually got snow yesterday, so this post is really timely! Anyway, here’s what a “perfect” snow day would look like:

1.

First of all, there would actually be snow…

We’ve had many days off in the past for cold temps, flu, ice…I love a good six inch snow. With that kind of snow, it’s pretty to look at, the kids can play in it, and we can make snow ice cream.

2.

Sleeping in is amazing on a snow day. We’ll take a day off when we can get it, but it’s great to know the night before, so we don’t have to set alarms when we go to bed.

I did love when the kids were little and they’d sleep in a bit and then rush out of their rooms thinking we were late for school. So sweet.

Now, if we we find out the night before, they find out via text like the rest of us.

3.

On an ideal snow day, Trav would be home too. It’s pretty rare for him to miss work due to the weather as it doesn’t take much snow for us to get a day off, so it’s probably ok driving conditions for him.

There have been years where we’ve gotten a lot of snow or ice, and he’s stayed home or come home early.

Although, if he’s home for more than one day, he wants to be productive…and that’s not the energy I’m looking for on a snow day 😆

4.

Snowman pancakes are a tradition on the first snow/ice/day off of the season. I started this tradition when the kids were in preschool, and I plan on carrying this tradition on until they graduate high school!

5.

The kids will get bundled up and go play outside.

While I miss the froggy hats, I am content with the fact that the kids are old enough to dress themselves and go play outside with friends without an adult!

6.

Homer can go outside and have fun too! Part Husky Homer loves the snow. (Once he gets down the back steps…He’s always hesitant to go down the steps the first time it snows!)

7.

Sledding! The kids have logged lots of memories sledding through the years.

It doesn’t take much for them to want to go sledding…

…and sledding is always more fun with friends.

8.

Snow angels are fun too. Well, for them…not for me.

…and who doesn’t love building a snowman?

9.

Hot chocolate after playing in the snow is perfect on a snow day whether you are 4 or 14!

10.

A fire in the fireplace and time to read makes for a perfect snow day for me.

11.

Winter movies (and maybe a nap!) are great on snow days too.

12.

Snow ice cream is a treat when we get lots of snow. We don’t always think to do this one, but when we do, we never regret it!

I will say that snow days now “hit different.” The past couple of years, we had NTI days (non-traditional instruction) where students have homework to do that’s posted online. But…we also had a few days off that were just snow days.

This year, they announced that any snow/ice day will be an NTI day. (unless there are power outages or it just makes sense to have a traditional day off) I really don’t want to be in school any later than we already are, so I can appreciate NTI as an option. Our students got an extra week of summer this past year, and we get a week at fall break, so NTI days are what we need to do to still get out around Memorial Day.

That being said, I hope that teachers strike a balance in what they ask students to do. In general, students shouldn’t have more than three hours total of work per day, and I feel like my kids have had a lot more than that in the past.

I guess we will see how today goes…It’s NTI day #1.

This post also made me a bit nostalgic because sometimes I really do miss when the kids were little…and these snow day memories have me feeling that way.

I know not everyone gets a snow day off, so I don’t take for granted not having to drive in the elements and being able to stay home in my pjs when the weather is bad.

Warmest wishes,

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21 thoughts on “Snow Days”

  1. We woke up to snow and no school today too! My husband and older son do a lot of the plowing so they are never home but the rest of us enjoy a quiet day hanging around inside.

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  2. We have a snow day here today too and your post made me appreciate some of the things so thank you. My little one loves it so I am putting a smile on for her 🙂

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  3. While it’ll be nice to not have to drive to school, NTI days can be blamed on the year 2020. I hope (like you) that the teachers take it easy on them. We got snow this weekend, too! We have around seven or eight inches, and it’s the really good, powdery kind. It’s so beautiful! I hope you all enjoy your day spent at home; I feel like you and am so grateful to not have to drive when the roads are like this.

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    1. My former district started NTI ten years ago…when we went to school until mid-June . It was a more rural district so it didn’t take much to get a snow day. After that year, in Kentucky, rural districts were able to apply for NTI option but we weren’t even on Chromebooks then. We’d give kids packets. But you are right- NTI is now a thing in bigger districts because we are 1:1 with technology.
      I’m thankful to be at home and inside!

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  4. I feel exactly the same about NTI and I told the students I wished the principal would cap the time limit for work for each class. I need to post my assignment soon, but we finished semester one on Friday and it’s just a hard time to come up with something meaningful. Honestly, I think I am just going to post a reflection for them to fill out. Also, we have food day so two of my classes need to be cooking if they haven’t already.

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    1. I think the general rule is supposed to be 30 min /class which sounds reasonable and even better if it’s less. Hayden just woke up…I need to get hadley up so they can log on and see what they need to do.

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  5. Happy snow day! We have one, too! We have 5 regular snow days built into our calendar and after that we have virtual days. Live, online teaching all day but starting two hours late. I am not looking forward to them at all. We are all typically home for snow days, since Jeff works at a school, too. I try to keep them as quiet and relaxing as possible.

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      1. That’s a tricky balance. Luke was sick for 3 days last week so he’s working on some makeup work and studying today too. Jack had exams last week and the new semester starts tomorrow so he doesn’t have much work that he could do.

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  6. It doesn’t take much winter weather to get a “snow” day here in Texas. Schools are off today due to record low temperatures and some icy overpasses. Also, here in Texas we tend to get more ice than snow, so it’s not much fun! Hope you have a cozy day!

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    1. We don’t know any other Hadleys personally and I’ve never had a student named hadley but I do see it pop up here and there. On Hadley’s swim team a few years ago, there were four hadleys haha

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  8. Snow days really are so different now! There were days in the not-so-distant past when I actually had to be online all day with my students. My son’s school assigns work through Canvas. So far, they haven’t for today, which I was so surprised about! I hope you all enjoy your snow day! I love the snowman pancakes! So cute!

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  10. I will say your perfect snow days does sound rather perfect! So nice to actually have snow for it:) The snow days were a lot more fun at our house when the kiddos were young…but, still, if it snows again this weekend, I am so making us snowman pancakes!! Too cute:)

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