From the Braintrust: Times are a Changin’, Snow Days Ain’t What they Used to be

Snow days just ain’t what they used to be.

~ From the Braintrust ~ With today’s wintry weather and the cancellation of schools throughout central Wisconsin, snow days have once again made their way into our news feeds.

A sign of the times, however, is just how different snow days are now than when compared to the past:

• Virtual learning.
• Social media gets messages spread in a matter of minutes.
• Snow day announcements made the afternoon or evening before.
• Kids playing online games on snow days.

For many of us though, snow day memories from our youth are quite different.  Just how did we survive without cell phones, social media, and the internet?

The Braintrust says we did just fine. We didn’t just survive, either. We THRIVED.

How about these memories?

• Being glued to the radio in the morning, listening for alphabetical listings of school cancellations to be read.
• Depending on where they were in the alphabet… sometimes having to wait several minutes to get back to your school.
• A crushing feeling not hearing your school announced as cancelled.
• A feeling of total exhilaration hearing that school was CANCELLED.  Total bliss.

And then what? What did we do with this gift of a snow day?

• Some slept much longer.
• Country kids had chores to get done.
• Snow forts to be made.
• Snowball fights
• Sledding
• Making snow tunnels
• Snowmobiling
• Running around on snow hills
• Snow angels

Know what else? We ALL had snow pants, boots, hats, gloves and mittens. Playing outside in the snow was part of our lives.

Now, mind you, The Braintrust has been around school for over 50 years, now. Always have loved school, always will. Friendships gained, a love of learning that only gets stronger. Still, as a kid, hearing that school was cancelled, was perhaps one of the greatest feelings of all time.

Snow day announcements for kids these days just don’t provide the same thrill as they did for us older folks.   Doesn’t mean it’s better or worse now, it’s just a sign of the times.

If given the choice, however, take me back to the days of yesteryear, when snow day announcements, in the morning,  brought out shouts of joy for kids  everywhere.

Those were the days. The Braintrust remembers them well.

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