Therapy Tuesdays
Growing up, one of my favorite phrases in the wintertime was uttered by a local morning disc jokey duo. "Bread, milk, and toilet paper" they would say, which was code for the forecast calling for snow. The joke was that in our local area of Washington, DC, the tiniest snowflake could make some of the nation's most powerful people crumble into grocery store hysteria. It is a given that this town doesn't handle wintry weather well--it's not unusual for school systems to close before a flake hits the ground.
Now as an adult, I can understand why my parents were never as enamored with snow as I was. The typical flow of a weekday or weekend gets completely interrupted, which can make both adults and children feel like they lost their anchor. Until the snow ends and the digging begins, people are limited to their neighborhoods. Hopefully, kids or friends are nearby and easily accessible. Or there are stores nearby to break up the monotony. Kids can congregate, and take to the hills with sleds, build snowmen, throw snowballs, and with all of our technology, get to simply be kids.
Family traditions can continue: sitting by the fireplace, reading books, and eating s'mores or other tasty treats. But this can be taxing on our modern families. Many times, we forget how to connect with one another when we are face-to-face. We are so used to communicating with computers, text messages, or cell phones, that direct contact can be tricky. We are used to talking in quick sound-bites. Especially when we are confronted with unplanned together time. Tempers can flare long before the snow melts. Families intuitively know how to push one another's buttons and take these opportunities in their restlessness and boredom to do so.
These are the times to remember to take a step back. Help your children figure out ideas (before boredom sets in) about things to do. Cook together. Spend time apart. Try to switch (if possible) between parents (or neighbors) so adults can have breaks. Savor your sleep. It's also always OK to be a parent and give yourself a time out.
I write this post as feet of snow descend upon me and my loved ones...hopefully, I'll remember my own advice!
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