When you’re a kid, delayed or, even better, canceled classes are a real treat. As a working parent, however, that call or message from the school can set off alarm bells. How are you going to get your job done and adapt to the kids' disrupted schedule?
We set out to explore how moms and dads deal with this unforeseen challenge, and put together a collection of posts where they hilariously sum up their struggles.
From organizing impromptu indoor activities to coming up with excuses for their boss, continue scrolling to check out what it's all about and while you're at it, don't miss the chat we had with Bored Panda's parenting expert and award-winning TV broadcaster and author, Vicki Broadbent — you'll find it in between the images.
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I feel like this post is the only one where parents have fun with their kids. The other posts are all about how unlucky they are to have their kids around... I get that people have to work but hey, kids are more than just a burden! I hope they don't give their kids the feeling that they are only in the way. Makes me sad.
Is that what they mean when they say "an eye for an eye?"
"Snow days can be incredibly disruptive to all," Vicki Broadbent, who runs the acclaimed family lifestyle blog Honest Mum, told Bored Panda.
"Schools and offices/workplaces often close and parents must react quickly, ensuring we can care for our kids, canceling meetings, not making deadlines or trying to combine childcare with work expectations, if that's even possible," Broadbent, author of Mumboss (UK) and The Working Mom (US and Canada), added.
They can still make snow angels. Standing up again might be a problem.
Should trade those out for the music tubes you bop where each size is a different note. it's got a slightly muffled sound, and there is no way to play a pitchy or flat note.
That's one of the reasons I think homeschooling could work in theory- following your shared interests and time tabling
Vicki Broadbent thinks that authorities and businesses in many places across the world are not entirely geared up for the extreme weather we've been experiencing lately.
"Transport often shuts down, it's not safe to be on the road, and childcare institutions from nurseries to schools close their doors," she said.
"Things are likely to become more disruptive as climate change and extreme weather continue to affect the world. Post-pandemic, some workplaces have continued to accommodate employees with a more flexible working approach as well as by encouraging remote working, but some are equally regressing back to expecting you to physically be at work."
My city is really great about getting the roads clear. The issue for us is the kids that live in the rural areas and up the mountain. Our district will often close schools because it's unsafe for those kids.
That was their own fault. Just go "Aw, you DO look like you need some more sleep... Ok, I'll take care of it, you get some rest ok?"
When I was a kid, you had to listen to local radio in the morning to know about any school closures. Though it was pretty pointless because I don’t think my school closed once, no matter how much snow there was!
Many parents share Broadbent's sentiment. According to research from the Pew Research Center, moms and dads tend to have trouble when balancing their jobs and their family obligations.
Among all working parents with children under the age of 18, more than half (56%) say that this task is difficult for them, while another 14% claim it's actually very difficult, and 42% find it somewhat difficult.
This is one reason I'm glad not to be a kid today, there was nothing better than Mom coming in and whispering "you have no school day," rolling over and going back to sleep. Snow days rocked!
To be fair, “*keyboard smash* buttttttt!!! poopy butttt” is how I feel about answering emails.
Paw patrol gets obnoxious. Look up "Sarah and Duck", "Peg plus Cat", and "Bubble guppies"
Working mothers (60%) are a bit more likely than fathers (52%) to say it’s difficult for them to balance work and family, and this is particularly the case for moms who work full time.
In fact, one in five full-time working moms say balancing the two is very difficult for them, compared with 12% of dads who work full time and 11% of moms who work part time.
Vicki Broadbent thinks there should be a systemic change. "I believe businesses need to be more accommodating and understanding when parents face snow," she said.
"Annual leave should be an option, or simply accepting working might require greater flexibility and extended deadlines."
At our house it was a "Dad's tomato soup and grilled cheese" day <3
And now husband gets to stay up with the kids while Mom goes to bed.......
"When it comes to children, whether you can work around them is based on their age and maturity," the Honest Mum explained. "Some kids can happily work from their own device, watch movies on it, or read, but the younger they are, the greater their needs, and in many cases, parents will struggle to fit work around keeping their child safe and cared for."
"I think employers must be reasonable and must understand that extreme weather is out of the control of the parent. They should have measures in place to support the working parent also," Vicki Broadbent, who is raising a teen, a tween, and a toddler, concluded.
I'm confused, can you not send them outside when there is no snow? Surely they would still have things to do?
Roblox is a scam. Don't let your kids on Roblox. Not only is there straight up extortion built into the point of the game (every digital item is MASSIVELY expensive) There are also absolutely no safeties in place to prevent the many recorded instances of child predation and exploitation by adult players.
Nah, I'm super happy for our kiddo on snow days. Also they're old enough now that snow day = mum gets an extra half hour- hour sleep. SO fun!
If you know, you WILL say something to tip your kids off. Chaos. We have our kid still make their lunch the night before a snow day. It's part of what makes them sleep longer, AND at lunch their lunch is ready!
Note: this post originally had 55 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
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I loved snow days as a high schooler. We lived a block away from campus and I got such a kick out of knowing I could absolutely make it to school...but didn't have to!
It never snowed where I grew up, so snow days never existed... sad :(
Same, but in Australia we used to get sent home early/the day off if the temperature reached 35+C. Then that was cancelled when the state government gave schools grants for air conditioning, even though my high school barely even had fans, except in the performing arts centre. You had to stay indoors in that weather though.
Load More Replies...
My kid does cyberschool, snow days don't exist. Unplanned async classes are the best he can hope for. But I'm also not complaining because at least he's not getting beat up at the pathetic excuse for a local public school.
I loved snow days as a high schooler. We lived a block away from campus and I got such a kick out of knowing I could absolutely make it to school...but didn't have to!
It never snowed where I grew up, so snow days never existed... sad :(
Same, but in Australia we used to get sent home early/the day off if the temperature reached 35+C. Then that was cancelled when the state government gave schools grants for air conditioning, even though my high school barely even had fans, except in the performing arts centre. You had to stay indoors in that weather though.
Load More Replies... My kid does cyberschool, snow days don't exist. Unplanned async classes are the best he can hope for. But I'm also not complaining because at least he's not getting beat up at the pathetic excuse for a local public school.
