The Winter of Our Content
A creative afternoon well spent.
Snow fell in Chicagoland about a month ago but then disappeared. There was no white Christmas. It rained on New Year’s Day, enough that the water pooled in some areas (including our basement…) But today, a light snow has been falling since this morning: crisp, pristine, and accumulating.
My 9-year-old and 6-year-old have never been much for outdoor activities, so the idea of putting on winter gear and playing in the snow had zero appeal to them. They both thought it looked beautiful, but admired it from the distance inside the warmth of our house.
I did play outside as a kid, but I lived in the country with a wide expanse of space and freedom. On a wintery day like this, I had surrounding hills that were perfect for sledding. And when out of energy, soaked through, and red-cheeked, I could return indoors and warm by the woodstove. Radiant heat is perfection.
At the same time, I don’t remember spending entire days outside. For winter break, or long summers of no school, I recently found myself wondering what I did to pass the time.
As a full-time working parent, I send my kids to full-day camps when possible, but this year the winter break back-to-school day was a Tuesday, leaving us to entertain ourselves on Monday. On days like this or…
