Snow days not so cool for parents

The chorus from Dean Martin’s “Let It Snow” was a favorite of mine to sing as a kid.

I woke up on winter mornings, rolled out of bed as if I were on fire and rushed to check the TV or radio station. I was desperate to hear or read that school was closed, or at least delayed.

School closing meant sitting around in my pajamas playing “Tecmo Super Bowl” on Nintendo — yes, I’m old — or watching the original Star Wars trilogy — did I mention I’m old?

The Star Wars movies were on VHS tapes and I used a VCR to watch them. My kids will stare at me blankly someday when I describe a VCR to them, just as I did to my parents when they talked about eight-tracks.

My childhood was a lifetime ago, and as a father with a kid in school, closings — or delays for that matter — are no longer cool.

Just about every night since Christmas break, I’ve went to bed aware there would at least be a two-hour delay and unsure if that delay would turn into a closing by the time I woke up in the morning.

School’s been closed more times than not for the past week-and-a-half, and that’s costly — literally. The price for full-day daycare is more than six times what it costs for after-school latchkey.

Delays don’t put the same dent in the wallet, but when both parents work day shifts, one of them — me, in our family — has to alter their work schedule.

I arrive in the office later, stay later and the whole day feels off-kilter.
For some reason, I don’t recall worrying about how it affected my parents work day when I was sleeping in or playing video games.

Lexi doesn’t worry about it either. My 6-year-old daughter moves at her own pace — which is absurdly slow on normal days, and she’s been even slower on the mornings since Christmas break.

My wife, Kara, is out of the house by 7:30 each morning, so Lexi and our 2-year-old son, Luke, are my responsibility when school is closed or delayed. Exiting the house before 10 with those two in tow feels like a tremendous accomplishment.

Night time is just as exhausting. The school day, ensuing latchkey and homework usually wear Lexi down by 8, but she isn’t nearly as tired after daycare. Lately, I’m the one falling asleep when I read to her at night.

I miss the days when school closings were reason to celebrate. Now, I click on a website and cringe when I see a closing or delay.

I still sing Dean Martin’s hit song, but with a slight twist. “Please Don’t Let It Snow” is music to this dad’s ears.

Thomas St. Myer writes a weekly parenting column on medium.com that is published in The Commercial Review. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter @tstmyer.