Don’t Steal Our Downtime—Why We’ll Always Need Snow Days

C’mon, We’ll Always Need Snow Days 

Don’t give in, my friends—We’ll always need snow days. And we can’t wait until the snow flies to fight back.

SURE, nobody wants to be “thinking snow” quite yet, but one of our cultural intuitions—the snow day— is under attack.

There is little time, we must act now…

I’ve always looked forward to the next snow day. That sent from heaven, unexpected gift of a down day with our obligations called-off for at least that day. And I truly believe you love them too.

Yes, I’m poking fun (but only a little). The overly serious among us would call this satire. But it’s more than that… because there is a serious message contained within this post, so stay with me.

For generations, snow days meant sleeping in, loafing in front of the TV with hot cocoa, and hours of sledding and snowball fights. Now, they are likely to mean logging into a laptop for a Zoom lesson on long division.”

—Maria Cramer in the New York Times on September 25, 2020

Far too many school administrators and government bureaucrats now believe with the kinks worked out of distance learning—snow days will no longer be necessary. Can you believe it?

What a complete and total sack of snowman hooey!

Can you remember a time when families and even neighborhoods had snow day traditions? You might even go as far as tagging some as coveted rituals.

• Movie marathons
• Snow forts and snowball fights
• Secret recipe hot chocolate
• Impromptu neighborhood gatherings
• Snow cookouts and street parties

“Advancements” in technology, chemistry, and heavy equipment have already shortened what once would shut an average town or city down for two, even three days.

Those advancements combined with the inertia of capitalism and the pursuit of quarterly results had already eliminated the need for most any break exceeding a single day.

We will always need snow days.

Call me a fool, but I was under the impression that one primary benefit of advances in technology was to free us up so we might experience a higher quality of life. Doesn’t that also mean a more enjoyable life? Doesn’t that include the occasional snow day?

Think about what we’ve lost recently—

• Family, friends, and other loved ones
• Jobs and small businesses
• Mental and emotional health and well-being
• Many of our favorite activities

We’ve found some silver linings.

So, it’s okay to consider what we’ve gained, too—

• Many things have slowed down
• We’ve realized getting by on less is possible
• Simplicity is a good thing
• Diminishing obligations
• And some actual moments of quiet

We’ve learned some things and improved some others.

What kids and grownups alike are learning—

• Increased resilience
• Patience, how to wait
• How to accept disappointment
• Newly revived creativity

These are skills worth developing.

Here’s why we’ll always need snow days—

My case for the snow day is simple. And it includes some serious reasons to take to heart. Please don’t stand idle and allow the inevitable to happen.

1. We have crammed way too much go-go-go, more-more-more, now-now-now into our lives. Learning to pause every once in a while, might prevent our heads from exploding right off the tops of our necks.
2. Maintaining our mental and emotional health during this prolonged crisis has become a crisis within a crisis. 
3. The unplanned, unexpected gift of a random down day created by mother nature is truly a gift from above. It’s small, and it helps.

Stop trying to maximize every last minute of every day.

We humans simply must learn how to hit the pause button on at least a semi-regular basis. We must stop acting like the prime directive in this life is to maximize every last opportunity to check the little boxes of progress.

In the long game, “losing” one of a few days doesn’t impact a thing.

Every day is precious… we deserve to enjoy as many as we possibly can.

Let’s start by saving the snow day. Be untucked.

p.s. If you think I’m kidding, just Google ‘end of snow days’

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