omg the snow

[Elizabeth86]

So we just barely got enough snow to halfway cover the grass and I took the kids out to play. No less than 30 minutes getting everyone dressed and I'm pretty sure they were done in 5 minutes. Ugh kwim?

[Peaceseeker]

Yes and then they want to do it again in 30-45 minutes lol...

 

Snow is exhausting with little ones!

[Elizabeth86]

Yes and then they want to do it again in 30-45 minutes lol...

 

Snow is exhausting with little ones!

Right :lol:

[alisoncooks]

Yes. And messy - the kitchen is covered in wet sweaters and jackets and boots and gloves and....

[Elizabeth86]

Yes. And messy - the kitchen is covered in wet sweaters and jackets and boots and gloves and....

yep :lol:

[2ndGenHomeschooler]

I celebrated the first year all of mine were big enough to get into and of all their snow gear on their own. And again the year they were all tall enough to hang their own stuff up to dry in the basement (last year).

[Elizabeth86]

I celebrated the first year all of mine were big enough to get into and of all their snow gear on their own. And again the year they were all tall enough to hang their own stuff up to dry in the basement (last year).

It will just be helpful when at least one kid is helpful. There is this odd phenomenon in our family, but the younger our kid, the more capable they seem to be. :lol: ds 6 should be most helpful, but I swear the baby tries to do everything for herself. It's hilarious. kind of.

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

 

We just pop everything right in the dryer between trips outside so they are ready to go again!

[EMS83]

But they'll remember it forever.   :001_wub:  :001_wub:  :001_wub:  

[mommyoffive]

It will just be helpful when at least one kid is helpful. There is this odd phenomenon in our family, but the younger our kid, the more capable they seem to be. :lol: ds 6 should be most helpful, but I swear the baby tries to do everything for herself. It's hilarious. kind of.

 

It will come.  

 

I was just telling dh that story of kiddo 4 (they all did this though) where I would spend 20 mins getting her dressed and after 5 mins after she would be back inside because she was cold. 

 

But now all 4 can get ready on their own, and play for hours out there.  I have to drag them back in.  It will happen.  

[Garga]

Yup!  I hated that about the snow when the boys were little.

 

I'm finally over the hump.  The boys find their own clothes, they dress themselves in their own clothes, they stay out for at least an hour, and then the put their wet clothes on clothes hangers in the shower stall.  But they're 12 and 15 now.  I think they were able to do all that about 2 years ago.  

 

Before then, I'd see snow outside and sigh, because I knew I was in for a lot of work (gathering and dressing) for pretty much no payoff except more work (wet clothes everywhere and extra laundry.)

 

The only downside is that I'm ever more cognizant of the fact that I'm running out of time with them.  One of these days it'll snow and they won't want to go outside in it at all.  One of these days it'll snow and they won't even be living here any more.  I have been wondering more and more lately, "Is this the last time we (play in the snow, make Christmas cookies together, go on a family vacation)?"  I don't really want to go back in time to when they were tiny and exhausting.  I want this time right now to stop. 

Edited January 4, 2018 by Garga

[Elizabeth86]

This thread made me laugh. We got a few inches back in December for the first time in my little kids' lives. We've never had that much here. I had no clue how messy that stuff was. All the wet clothes and socks and shoes........I think I did laundry for the rest of the day!

If I see the snow is going to stick around I just dry them

[Elizabeth86]

ita about it being about the memories. I sure don't want to rush it away. I'm just contemplating 1 layer of clothes next time since everyone is done in 5 min. :lol:

[Guinevere]

It doesn't sound like you have enough, but when the snow is a little deeper, you can bring some inside. We always make snow ice cream, and sometimes I bring tubs of it for them to play in at the table (like individual sand boxes, but snow).

[Elizabeth86]

It doesn't sound like you have enough, but when the snow is a little deeper, you can bring some inside. We always make snow ice cream, and sometimes I bring tubs of it for them to play in at the table (like individual sand boxes, but snow).

Oh yeah, we do this too. It's just a dusting.

[MEmama]

They can come here and enjoy the blizzard! If they think a dusting is exciting, they'd love this. Lol

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

For me, it's the laundry.  So. much. laundry.  :glare:

[MarieCurie]

Yep, that's how it is in my house. It takes longer to get them ready than they spend outside.

[barnwife]

For me, it's the laundry.  So. much. laundry.  :glare:

 

Wait...do people really wash things after being used once? I mean, socks might get washed, but not hats, snowpants, gloves, coats...I can't figure out how it creates that much more laundry.

 

Gloves get washed slightly more often than socks. Hats/snowpants/coats? They get cleaned if actually dirty or before being packed away for the season.

 

Anyway, OP, with a 7, 5, 4 yo, and a baby, I feel your pain!

[wintermom]

It's that old rule, "The smaller the child, the more stuff they have."  Teens outside wear next to nothing. It's not cool. ;)

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

Wait...do people really wash things after being used once? I mean, socks might get washed, but not hats, snowpants, gloves, coats...I can't figure out how it creates that much more laundry.

Gloves get washed slightly more often than socks. Hats/snowpants/coats? They get cleaned if actually dirty or before being packed away for the season.

Anyway, OP, with a 7, 5, 4 yo, and a baby, I feel your pain!

It doesn’t quite snow enough here to invest in full snow gear, so lots of wet/muddy jeans, socks, etc. X4 in my house

[MEmama]

It's that old rule, "The smaller the child, the more stuff they have." Teens outside wear next to nothing. It's not cool. ;)

So true. Yesterday my teen walked to the bus (maybe 1/2 mile?) in just a flannel shirt and sweat pants. It was 10 below. Lol.

[Lucy the Valiant]

Shovelers in training . . . :)

[Familia]

Bringing back fond memories -- Not quite!  Remembering one particular year I sent our two oldest out to play.  

First, the 5 year old took awhile to dress.  Sent him out.  

I took a long time to get the 3 year old bundled and sent out.  As I sent him out the door I gave a quick overview of how to sled to eldest.  I hadn't sledded much in my life, but I kinda gave a boogie board style demonstration.  

Ah, I thought as the door closed, I will have 10 minutes of peace to tidy the house before they need me again.  

We had a tiny fenced yard with a small hill.

No sooner had I turned from the closed door than eldest came in crying with blood running out of his mouth!  Yup - I had sent the dear one out with instructions that led him sledding straight down that small hill into our BRICK house head first.  Not a proud parenting moment.  

(only damage a cut tongue, fortunately, but not a pleasant few days of healing!)

 

 

 

Edited January 4, 2018 by secretgarden

[solascriptura]

It goes by fast. I still remember four little ones all in a row waiting expectantly for me to put EVERY LAST SNOW ITEM ON FOR THEM. I miss their cute excited little faces. I do not miss the work.

[Rachel]

I learned to leave 2 dog towels by the door, one to stand on to undress and one for wet clothes. Our kitchen is right by the back door so the kids hang their coats on the chairs there until they are dry enough to go in the closet. Having a system helps.

 

It is a ton of work though!

[Farrar]

I call it the tyranny of weather sometimes. There is snow. You MUST drop what you're doing and go appreciate it. Bah humbug.

[Zebra]

They can come here and enjoy the blizzard! If they think a dusting is exciting, they'd love this. Lol

 

Careful, they may drown in it!   :lol:

[Saddlemomma]

We got 14" of snow today and it's still snowing.  No one wants to go out in it.  We are supposed to get temps of up to -50 with the severe winds. Even the dog won't go out!

[Rachel]

We got 14" of snow today and it's still snowing. No one wants to go out in it. We are supposed to get temps of up to -50 with the severe winds. Even the dog won't go out!

Actual temp -50 or the windchill?

[unsinkable]

My kids run hot so in the snow-gear days, I learned not to overdress them. So just regular clothes plus coat, snow pants (sometimes), hat (rarely), gloves and boots.

 

I had clothes basket ready at the door when they came in and all wet snowy stuff went straight into the basket then to the dryer. Boots on a tray in front of the register.

 

It helps when they are half polar bear and don't want/like a lot of snow gear.

[Lizzie in Ma]

Oh boy do I remember those days!  Don't miss them. ;)

[amo_mea_filiis.]

Bringing back fond memories -- Not quite! Remembering one particular year I sent our two oldest out to play.

First, the 5 year old took awhile to dress. Sent him out.

I took a long time to get the 3 year old bundled and sent out. As I sent him out the door I gave a quick overview of how to sled to eldest. I hadn't sledded much in my life, but I kinda gave a boogie board style demonstration.

Ah, I thought as the door closed, I will have 10 minutes of peace to tidy the house before they need me again.

We had a tiny fenced yard with a small hill.

No sooner had I turned from the closed door than eldest came in crying with blood running out of his mouth! Yup - I had sent the dear one out with instructions that led him sledding straight down that small hill into our BRICK house head first. Not a proud parenting moment.

(only damage a cut tongue, fortunately, but not a pleasant few days of healing!)

Our property is steep. The back door on the second floor is below ground level (for the back yard, but even for the side), then you walk up 4 steps to the back yard, or step down to go to the side yard.

 

My kids make a sled path when the snow gets good. Sometimes just twisting in the back yard, sometimes coming down the side if there’s enough snow to not crash off the wall.

 

Anyway, several years ago mine were outside with 2 neighbor boys and I thought nothing of it because my son was the youngest and he usually plans the track.

 

I hear a loud crash and go outside to look. The younger of the other boys leaned off the track intentionally and instead of bailing, thought it would be fun to land on the back porch! It’s a 3? 4? foot drop! He crashed right into the back of the house.