#DadMatters: 10 Reasons to Tolerate the Winter

#DadMatters: 10 Reasons to Tolerate the Winter

It’s cold outside and nobody likes driving in the snow. But the winter also gives us moments to cherish. OK, maybe not cherish. Tolerate. Here are some of my favorite things about the coldest season.

1. You can build an igloo. Remember last January when we got — this is an estimate —  400 inches of snow in three days. We put that powder to use and built a snow abode. Of course, we didn’t build a real igloo. That takes years of experience and actual math. We just made a big old pile of snow. (Easy.) And carved out the center. (Harder, according to my lower back.) For bonus fun, we used food coloring and a spray bottle to make “cave paintings.”

One note: be careful when the thaw sets in. You don’t want the igloo to collapse with anyone inside.

2. Christmas lights are bad for stargazing and great for everything else. I love Christmas lights. Every display I see is like my neighbors saying, “I’m willing to pay more for my electric bill to give you this moment of joy.”

3. One word, sledding. 

4. Winter isn’t just cold. It’s dark. Darker than a Goya painting. But there’s one upshot to all this darkness. It’s easier than ever to share a sunrise or sunset with your kids. You don’t need to skip bed time to enjoy some Rayleigh scattering with your little ones. (Yes, the phenomenon that makes the sunset colors has a fancy scientific name.)

Bonus: There’s less water vapor in the air during winter, which means brighter sunsets. Double bonus: Did you know that Lake Erie is one of the few bodies of water where you can  observe both the sunrise and sunset over it from land?

5. You can watch all those Peanuts holiday specials and then try to remember why you liked them.

Jason Lea

6. You know those kids who won’t get off your  lawn? They’re gone until April.

7. No one ever had to cut weight to look good in a parka. It’s carb season. Let those holiday  calories be a 2023 problem.

8. You can make snowmen — and not just those boring three stacked spheres either. Get  creative and make something horrid or  beautiful. Follow your muse. When it melts, you can explain why some things only last for a limited time to your children.

9. You know what’s even better than pumpkin spice? Peppermint. And you can put it in  everything until March.

10. You’ll probably get a gift from someone at some time for something.

About the author

Jason Lea has a son, daughter, and a full-time job at the Mentor Public Library. He also blogs for Northeast Ohio Parent in his nonexistent free time. You can find this East-sider on Twitter at @jasonmarklea or read his blog at northeastohioparent.com/bloggers.

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