With the entire county shut down for below zero temperatures, our school opened it's doors and cranked up the heat (in the rooms that didn't have busted pipes). The kids were less than enthusiastic about coming to school (but hey, that would be on any given day with the exclusion of holiday parties, first day of school, and last day of school). Let's just agree that it's human nature to want to have a free day, every day of the year. They call this retirement. Although I know some grandparents who need the free time to schedule all the activities in which their grandchildren are involved.
"Who's idea was it to have school?" announces one child as they enter the door.
"I believe the concept dates back to the early settlers," was my reply.
"My parents are not happy about this," brings up another.
"Here's a note from my mom about us being at school with the temperature being so low," proclaims a third.
"Aside from the fact that we missed out on a 'snow day' (darn it), aren't we all safe and sound? Don't we have heat? Can't we still function?" I received no response.
The one thing that I learned early on in life was to adapt, to deal, and to overcome. Adapt to the fact we are the one school district in session; deal with what must be done from this point on; overcome the feeling of being out of a snow day and move on. When I was growing up, adults had a word for those who couldn't do these three things - whiners. It may not be a word that is politically correct to say to children today because we may bruise an ego or bring down self-esteem, but it is a word that gets to the heart of the matter.
Whining doesn't help anything. Complaining won't change the fact that a decision has been made. Now having said all this,... I have to go and put my gloves back on because I'm losing feeling in my fingers.
