Posted on 02/12/2010 12:48:26 PM PST by inflorida
WASHINGTON—The most powerful people in Washington, D.C., this week were demanding another juice box and a Sesame Street video.
The one-two snow punch that crippled the nation's capital did more than bring the federal government to a halt: It brought hundreds of hard-charging, workaholic parents to their knees, imprisoning them inside their homes with eager children and a dwindling list of activities to keep them entertained.
By day five, Tammy Wincup of Georgetown had given up on getting her three kids, ages 5, 4 and 2, dressed. Work conference calls were being conducted from the relative quiet of the toilet seat. Ms. Wincup had long since relinquished her home office to her children, who turned it into a fort.
"It was good fun and bonding until today," said Ms. Wincup, an education consultant. "And they just closed school for another day."
Across the Washington, D.C. area, parents were grasping for ways to fill the days as two powerful snowstorms cancelled schools, closed day-care centers and shuttered many businesses. On Thursday—day seven for some parents with a three-day weekend ahead and more snow in the offing—nerves were beginning to fray.
"I am about ready to eat my children," said one mom, who declined to be named.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Words fail. One could almost think it a boon if Al Queda managed to nuke DC...
“I am about ready to eat my children,” said one mom, who declined to be named.
She’d never make it as a homeschooler :)
Go out and have a snowball fight. Build a snow fort. If it’s deep enough in drifts, dig a tunnel. Walk to the shopping center and play king of the snow mountain or slide down snow mountain (where they pile up the snow in the parking lots). There’s tons to do when you’re snowed in. Most of it, of course, involves snow.
The kids will remember that stuff forever. And, mom might have fun too.
Back to back blizzards in D.C. is God’s way of giving us citizens a well deserved break from our government.
Sorry, I can’t comment: the schadenfreude is so thick in here that I need another drink.
Good grief. Free paid vacation. plenty of snow to go outside and play in. And all these freaks can do is whine.
Yesterday I spent the afternoon visiting with some of our locals (Alaskans). The subject turned to the storm out east and how those wimperdills were handling it. I had heard on Fox News how some of those folks had to be home for two days, some three days, and how cabin fever had set in. The person they were interviewing made suggestions as to how to cope.
It’s shocking to us that there are so many Americans who lack the ability to cope with even the smallest of hurdles. Has the U.S. become a land of wimperdills? I’d say so! Americans used to be strong, they used to be able to rise to anything. They used to be self-reliant, tough, and courageous. And these folks out east can’t even handle such a small thing as a snowstorm?!
It’s shameful, just shameful. We’ve got men and women eating sand in Iraq and Afghanastan, and at home we’ve got men and women boohooing over some snow. Disgusting!
The biggest problem for most of these quoted DC denizens is they selected homes in neighborhoods with no kids. Pick a neighborhood full of kids and snow days become a village thing. Sleding, snow forts, hot cocoa and snacks, warm ups with the Wei, then more snow adventures. My kid has spent more time outside during the snowstorm then he does sans snow. We had a blast. Fun part is parents rotate among each other to watch the kids. The quoted DC types are the locked jaw ivy leaguers living in Georgetown and Capital Hill. Fun places for singles, not for families.
To be fair, people in the South, which includes DC, aren’t really set up for snow. Unless they have Boy Scouts who camp out year round, they often don’t have cold-weather gear; they don’t have their vehicles winterized; and they might not have stocked up on diapers, dogfood, and wine because the weather warnings are wrong nine times out of ten.
In these “can’t get to Walmart” situations, ordinary people go over to the neighbors, slightly red-faced, and confess, “I forgot to get dish detergent, you got any to spare? I’ll trade a lasagne!”
The real point of the article, though, is that many government-type people are set up for child-free lives, even if they have children. When the schools and daycare centers are closed and the nanny can’t drive in the snow, they’re stuck with their own kids, and it’s terrifying for them. The majority, welfare-class DC residents are probably trading dish soap for hamburgers and playing in the snow with their kids.
A snowstorm in DC is certainly not unheard of, they do have winters. And I understand the people in the south aren’t used to getting snow.
But none of that matters as it relates to my point. I don’t care if they aren’t used to it. The fact remains that when life throughs you a “snowball”, if you will, I find it ridiculous that grown people can’t just deal with it, do what needs to be done, stay home, whatever, without being drama-queens/kings about it.
Now if they get hit by a Haitian-style earthquake, or even an 7.9 like we had in Alaska a few years ago, then fine....I’d expect the sort of hand-wringing they’re doing now...over a snowstorm.
Exactly! Kids and snow have an affinity. Where else can you let them go outside, roll around on the ground, and not get dirty? My kids and I (and even a couple of grandkids) have all experienced Alaskan winters, and now that the grandkids are moved away, they say the only place they ever want to move is a place with SNOW.
Oh, I agree. Way too many people prefer making a scene to making the best of things.
consider yourself hugged and smooched for that. Excellent post.
Glad to hear it. Thanks for understanding the point I was trying to make. :)
Hugged and smooched....it’s a good day to be alive. heh heh
Thanks for your compliment and comment. :)
You're a mean one, Mrs. Grinch.
Maybe these workaholics should consider converting over to homeschooling to get in-touch with their chillin.
I'd love to hear you sourdoughs chat about living through a 98 degree day with 100% humidity and no airconditioning. :)
Sarah, is that you?
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