I grew up in Michigan in the late '70s, early '80s, right on the border between suburbs and farm country. And all of that stuff was everyday common sense! Our cars always had water, blankets, snow shovel, extra gloves, etc. in the trunk. Pretty much anyone who ever left their house in the winter had a story of getting stuck in a snowbank on a country road, and even if you could pretty much be guaranteed that someone would be along in an hour or so, who wants to sit in a snowbank that long if you can dig yourself out?
I was arguing with my kids about this last month. Their schools don't send the kids out for recess if the weather is below freezing, so they balk at wearing heavy coats in the winter when they don't need them for recess. (I have a huge beef with the recess thing. I realize that because we have a lot of winter days *above* freezing here at the south end of Illinois, there are lots of low-income families who don't spend their limited funds on heavy winter gear. But I would rather the school have a huge closet of loaner gear than keep the kids indoors!)
Anyway, they were complaining, and I was insisting that they at least bring their coats in the car, and they were like, "Mom, exactly what do you think is going to happen?"
"The car could break down!"
"So we'll go to the nearest building. It's buildings all the way to school."
"But they're probably closed at this time of day!"
"So you have a cell phone."
"JUST BRING YOUR COAT BECAUSE I SAID SO."
My daughter dreams of moving to Alaska someday. I'll have to tell her that people who don't keep a coat in the car get turned back at the border.
no subject
I was arguing with my kids about this last month. Their schools don't send the kids out for recess if the weather is below freezing, so they balk at wearing heavy coats in the winter when they don't need them for recess. (I have a huge beef with the recess thing. I realize that because we have a lot of winter days *above* freezing here at the south end of Illinois, there are lots of low-income families who don't spend their limited funds on heavy winter gear. But I would rather the school have a huge closet of loaner gear than keep the kids indoors!)
Anyway, they were complaining, and I was insisting that they at least bring their coats in the car, and they were like, "Mom, exactly what do you think is going to happen?"
"The car could break down!"
"So we'll go to the nearest building. It's buildings all the way to school."
"But they're probably closed at this time of day!"
"So you have a cell phone."
"JUST BRING YOUR COAT BECAUSE I SAID SO."
My daughter dreams of moving to Alaska someday. I'll have to tell her that people who don't keep a coat in the car get turned back at the border.