The snow impacts so many aspects of life.
In many ways it slows us down.
It takes longer to transition to recess as students dress for the weather with boots, snow pants, jackets, hats, and mittens, and it takes that amount of time to undress after recess.
Busses are later, and families' commutes are impacted.
There's the extra job of shoveling too.
That impact makes many people weary as well especially if they're already working a lot.
As a young mom, the big storms were particularly harrowing as I dressed and drove little babies to day care on wintery mornings. Now as an older teacher with grown children, that impact is not a factor, but I'm sure it's a factor for many families and colleagues that I work with at school.
There's the upside of the snow too, the happiness of watching playful children climb, jump, and run through many feet of snow with joy--so many love this winter wonderland.
It's midyear too--the time when there's a bit of melancholy reflection. We start the year with such high aspirations, open minds, and dreams, and for some reason, right about now, there's a realization that some of those goals you seek have eluded you so far--the progress you dreamed of in some areas hasn't made the gains you hope for. Some teachers, like me, are big dreamers; we're always seeking the absolute best, but there's always that reality that challenges will always exist. Hence it's time to revisit those goals, shore up the program, and march forward.
Unlike summer, spring, and fall, however, winter nights are cozy. The house, buried in about three feet of snow, is a warm place to be, and it's a good time to dig into the teaching and learning, and care for your family too.
"Enjoy the stage that you're in," my mom always says, so I guess it's important to enjoy this blustery, snowy, winter time of year.
