Gone Are The Days

The picture above is the beginning of a major snow storm in Queens, NY. A Nor’easter. Gail or Kim or some other name. I’m an elementary school principal, private school, in the middle of a pandemic. 2020 man... am I right? Anyway, I closed school for tomorrow. Principal of the Year... I can see me accepting my award. The district we’re in wants us to do remote learning! NYC public schools have already said there will no longer be snow days. When schools close for weather they will shift to remote online learning. My quiet response was, what about that means it’s a snow day. Nothing! We have effectively taken away a piece of childhood. I closed and if I get caught I’ll deal with it. In March we were all closed and transitioned to remote learning. It was needed. It wasn’t liked by students, parents or faculty, but it was needed. It stressed us all out. However, we needed something to try to keep to the routine. But tomorrow we need a break, we need to enjoy. As I made the announcement over the p.a. system I heard a smattering of cheers. As I walked the halls and poked my head into classrooms there were thank yous. I made sure to tell them to go outside and be safe but to enjoy the snow too.

When I was a kid, like most of us I pined for a snow day! No school meant sleds, snowball fights, sleeping later than normal, staying up later than normal, and yes I confess I loved making snow angels. Still do. Or I went out and shoveled countless driveways to make some pocket money. Kids today and kids in the future aren’t going to get that. Kids today are a different breed. Sports programs are getting smaller. Video games and technology are the buzz. Studies talk about childhood obesity. Listen to kids talk and they talk about video games or social media and learning the dances to post on them. I heard a fourth grader say she was going to be an influencer. What in the world? I’m definitely not going to find any kids to shovel my driveway. I understand times change but kids today are not kids. They are tiny adults some of them.

I feel bad for these kids. They don’t know what it’s like to spend the day in a library doing research or reading those choose your own path books (if you want to turn left turn to page 57. Then ultimately not liking your decision and going back to turn right). They aren’t going to know what it felt like to play in the park all day and then run home when the street lights came home. Riding your bike until your legs hurt. Being so thirsty you drank from a garden hose. Think of all the other things I am leaving out. Some parents do try and parents are busy with working. I understand that. Parents are different too. So is society. Change happens but it’s not always for the best. Go to a sporting event (after COVID of course) and most of the people are on their cell phones. Technology has become a babysitter. Want the kid to be quiet give them an iPad. Maybe I’m just strolling down memory lane and babbling on. Maybe I make a good point. Maybe my opinion is different than yours and I respect that. I’m not saying all this stuff is bad but it’s certainly not the best. I’m sure they enjoy these things but think of the memories they’ll have. Remember that video game where I killed four people in a row vs. remember that snowball fight we had with the kids from down the block? What sounds more fun? I know which I’d like to do tomorrow.

I do know one thing for sure; I’m making a snow angel tomorrow!