Snow has either arrived or is expected today along the East Coast. To some people, that means a day filled with sledding, hot cocoa and winter wonderland-esque delights. But to most working parents, it means a day tot
ally disrupted as school and daycare closures force them to scramble for alternate childcare.
I live in the Washington, D.C. area, otherwise known as the Winter Weather Wuss Capital of America. We D.C. people panic when the forecast calls for anything even resembling a wintry mix. Seriously, schools sometimes close here when the movie "Snow Dogs" airs on basic cable.
Given that wussiness, local officials tend to be very careful when deciding whether to keep schools open or closed. And, as happens in many areas, that carefulness can rile up parents when facilities are shuttered for seemingly no reason.
Personally, I'd rather see school officials or daycare administrators close shop with plenty of notice, even if the weather doesn't entirely justify it. Why? Because it's better than what I consider to be the worst snow storm offense: delaying the opening of schools, then deciding to close them early. That basically allows moms and dads to get to work, check their voice mails, then turn right back around and pick up the kids.
Of course, some people solve this problem by bringing their sons and daughters to the office with them, which means co-workers can be treated to the sounds of high-pitched voices shouting, "Mommy! I need to use the bathroom NOW!" while they're in the middle of a conference call.
If you're lucky enough to have your own office (and that office is supplied with plenty of crayons), this actually can be a viable workaround. If, like me, you don't even have cubicle walls, yeah, not so much. Which is why, as I type this blog post, I am praying that my son's daycare stays open tomorrow.
What do you do when bad weather cancels school or daycare? And what really, really ticks you off about the ways school officials handle these decisions? Put down that shovel and ice scraper for a moment and share your snow storm scheduling snafu stories in the comments section below.
Image: BBC
