Feb 04, 2015

Snow Day / Storming the Castle

Family Snow
We all have seen our kid’s excitement when they wake up to a blanket of white snow, begging for the announcement—Snow Day!
For kids, Snow Day means no school, all day play and non-stop hot chocolate charged fun. But for us, Snow Day means something else and sometimes our “day off” can get a little complicated.
Last month the Mid-Atlantic Nor’easter dumped more than a foot of snow on us overnight. We all cheered—Snow Day, Snow Day! Then I thought… I need to entertain these kids all day.

What do we do with a house full of kids trapped inside? Let them play Minecraft or X-box until they go cross-eyed? Are we expected to engage in a family game of Monopoly or Pictionary in daylight? Play-doh, Wac-a-Mole, tent building? Too much time stuck indoors and we find ourselves praying for bedtime before we have even fed them lunch.

To keep sane, I kicked the kids outside. We bundled up and headed out into the snow; I hear parents need fresh air, too. I spent the morning making cookies. Now it was time to build a snowman and freeze my butt off.

Our backyard has a great hill for sleigh riding; all the neighborhood kids enjoy it! Running in our house for a quick warm-up and then rushing back out again to conquer the hill. As the day came to a close, I opened our door and the neighborhood rushed in.

Pealing off layers, all the kids ran to the kitchen, leaving behind a trail of wet outdoor gear—hats, scarves, gloves, coats, snow pants. I gathered all the items into a pile in front of our dryer. I PUT ALL THEIR CLOTHES IN A PILE!

Lice Prevention 101: Keep kids outdoor clothing separate to prevent the spread of lice. As the Lice Lady, I should know better. But it all happened so fast. Luckily, I had a solution.

Dry the clothing on high for at least 30 minutes and this will kill any lice that might be present.

I took the opportunity to pass around extra cookies, pour more hot chocolate and for me, I opened up a bottle of wine. It was 5:00 pm some where!

Our home was filled with the excited chatter and laughter of kids—just being kids. Suddenly Snow Day became a little less work and little more manageable. We can remember the joy we felt as kids and still feel joy when they go back to school again.

It might be cold outside, but it is warm on their heads.

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Here are my Lice Lady Tips for Winter Lice Prevention. Spring is only 9 weeks away!

  • Do not share hats, coats, scarves, etc.
  • Keep clothing separate at school—use a bag!
  • Do a weekly head check. Check the “hot spots” - behind ears, back of neck and part lines.
  • Do not wash hair every day; lice love clean hair.
  • Use Rosemary Repel ® Spray each morning. Spray backpacks, tops of shoulders, and nape of neck.
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