Earlier this month, kids across central Ohio woke up to those two magic words: Snow Day! Older kids rolled over and went back to sleep. The younger kids jumped out of bed to get an early start on the outdoor fun!
But now I hear that the snow day might be in jeopardy of extinction! In fact, Campbell’s Soup has gone as far as to launch a new campaign called “Save the Snow Day”. I haven’t seen any picket signs yet, but there’s definitely a petition Here’s the situation:
Zoom and other online technologies have shown schools that maybe they don’t need to cancel classes because of bad weather. If the weather is too bad to go out, kids can just learn from home that day. In other words, no more snow days!
Of course, my children, like most kids throughout the Midwest are devastated by this injustice. Snow days are an American tradition. For decades, kids have endured the long weeks of winters by clinging to the possibility of a snow day. The slim chance for a snow day has kept kids learning through the long months of January and February for as long as I can remember.
The moment the weatherman mentions snow in the forecast, kids start their scheming. Rituals like sleeping with spoons under their pillow, and wearing pajamas backwards were all supposed to help ensure a good snow fall. I learned about the spoon ritual the hard way when one morning, all of my spoons disappeared. Cereal is hard to eat with a fork.
Some kids swear that a blue crayon is the freezer is the key, while others flush ice cubes down the toilet hoping to freeze and burst the pipes. I’m not sure how frozen pipes at our house would affect the school building, but I won’t judge.
I remember wishing for snow days when I was a kid. I’d wake up early and flip on my alarm clock radio. In those days, the radio was the only way to know whether school was cancelled in our district. You better make sure you don’t miss the announcement. I vaguely remember waiting at the bus stop for at least 45 minutes until it dawned on me. The kids gleefully running past me with their sleds might have tipped me off.
Snow days always meant sledding. My sister and I would squirm into our one-piece snowsuits and pull on our rubber boots (or plastic bags in a pinch). Then we’d fight over who had to haul the 20-pound toboggan to the sledding hill. We always wanted to get to there early before the snow was worn down to mud.
Kids still love sledding, but the lightweight, aerodynamic sleds practically haul themselves back up the hill. Where’s the fun in that?
Snowmen also remain popular, but the accessories have all changed. We only have baby carrots in the fridge, and the gas grill doesn’t require coal. A corn cob pipe would be nearly impossible to find. Maybe Frosty can smoke a Juul.
Despite the changes, snow days are the best. I’d hate to see kids lose the excitement of pressing their faces against the window before they go to bed or waking up in the middle of the night to peek out the window. The sheer possibility is what makes the snow day so exciting.
Plus, wouldn’t we rather see kids outside in the fresh air playing and laughing, instead of sitting in front of a screen all day?
It’s nice that Campbell’s soup is interested in saving the snow day, but I question their motives. I’m guessing that it has something to do with kids taking a break to warm up with a bowl of soup. Maybe Swiss Miss should join the fight.
Either way, I’m glad someone is taking a stand. If you’re so inclined, go to their website and sign the petition. If nothing else, you’re guaranteed a barrage of texts, pop-up ads and emails from Campbell’s products…and their entire family of brands.