When inclement weather hits Prince George, everyone shudders with horror, bundle up in all of their winter clothes and starts their car thirty minutes before you have to leave the house in order not to freeze. Most people will vigorously complain about the cold, head to work and rush home and stay there until they absolutely have to leave the house. It is cozy, hyyge weather. It should be lovely and crisp and full of book reading and warm blankets. But parents of school-aged children know the darkside of wintery weather: in-days at school.
Let me explain: when the school district dictates (as it should) that it is too cold for children to safely be outside, an in-day is scheduled. The kids are excited because a) it is bloody cold outside and 2) they get to play inside games. What happens is that the jittery ants in the kids' pants that are normally released at recess and lunch when the kids can play, run and burn off some pent up school energy are all contained in the classroom and then are released all at once when the children return home. Our children's school (as with other schools) does its best to help with excessive energy (sometimes the kids have to run up and down stairs) but it is never enough. After two in-days in a row, teachers, parents and kids are climbing the walls. Homes (my home, at least) get fractious and cranky.
It is terrible.
But when the sun comes out again and the wind dies down and the temperatures warms a fraction, it is like a poem opens up inside of you - the kids go outside again. They get fresh air, they run around in snow pants (which is fairly hard work) and they laugh and play - again - out of the house. Once the door shuts, the echo of the slam reverberates into your silent home. For five whole minutes, there is blessed silence and peace and no one is fighting... until the door opens again because someone pushed someone or threw their sibling's mittens in the snow. It is a short-lived peace but it is welcome.
