We're on day 2 of the mother of all Ohio ice storms...at least that's what the meteorologist said this morning. Although today it's not so much the ice as the 30 mph sustained winds and the 50 mph gusts. Ah sheesh, I love Ohio living. In true prepper form, we had some quick-fix meals, a full kerosene stove and plenty of clean clothes in case of a power outage, but so far we've managed to stay powered up.
Keeping occupied has been the most difficult task as our usual quiet routines have been thrown into chaos. We normally don't go into town mid-week, but just knowing that we CAN'T go anywhere because of the near inch-thick coating of ice, that's making me crazy.
So we're all feeling just a little cabin-feverish today. To keep hands and minds busy, I've spent the past 2 days making soup, baking bread and sowing seeds. The kids slept in, played arts and crafts and have enjoyed Wii time whenever possible. But you can only bake so much bread and play so much Wii. All this leads me to wonder what would happen if there truly was a SHTF scenario and we were quarantined or under curfew or whatever.
How would I occupy the kids?
How would I occupy myself?
How could I keep myself from going stark-raving mad and taking everyone in the house with me~?~
I'm feeling compelled to stock up on more activity books, age appropriate games, puzzles and educational toys that only come out on special occasions such as blizzards and epidemics. I've also been giving thought to some beginner-skills activities that would keep the kids engaged during a long winter storm. Mara wants to learn to sew, so maybe some plastic canvas and yarn, just to learn the general idea? And Isaac wants to learn how to cook, so possibly a child's cookbook with simple recipes and instructions?
What plans do you have in place to entertain and educate the kids when you're snowbound?
5 comments:
Heh. Time to think "primitive"...!
How about card games? board games? books? puzzles? art? Don't you have critters? they need care in cold weather as well. Send the kids out to care for them... You make hot cocoa for when they come back in!
_Chores_!!!
I loved the comment from someone somewhere to the effect that if s/he complained "I'm bored", the response from parent was "Great...the barn needs to be cleaned" " the wood needs to be brought in" or whatever needed to be done. You can bet that his/her solution was to _never_ complain about being bored!
Just try to remember that it is not your job to entertain your children...put them to work! Entertaining children is something moms do in self-defense - I understand that! but they need to feel needed too - so set them to getting their closets cleaned - or something!
Hey Sue-
I think we've survived the 2011 ice storm. The kids have done really well, especially Isaac. As much as he complains about school, I think he really enjoys it and misses it when it's a snow day.
My idea of entertaining the kids is giving them a toy/game/craft they haven't used in ages and then turning them loose. They don't really need to be entertained, but looking at the same 4 walls for 4 days straight will make anyone crazy.
Yesterday, going out and doing a chore wasn't really an option. There was a sheet of ice, a layer of ice pellets, freezing rain, rain, another layer of ice and then topped off with snow. Plus 30-50 mph winds. Otherwise, their heinies would have been outside. I did manage to ice skate down to the mail box this morning and that was an exhilarating experience :)
My parents went in for really _really_ big Christmas celebrations, and then pretty much nothing for the rest of the year. I don't remember playing with much inside...we must have, I suppose, but I don't really remember doing it.
We were in one blizzard in Ohio...I think it was about 1954/55...somewhere in there. I remember it as fun - but when you're a kid, lots of things are fun that cease to be fun when you're an adult and have to actually _do_ stuff!
I also remember a time - not connected to the blizzard - when we had sleet that covered the roads with black ice about a quarter inch deep. We went out on ice skates and were sorely disappointed when they managed to get out the salt trucks.
How old is your girl? You may have said, but I've forgotten. Sewing is good - but I'd probably go with knitting/crocheting as being likely to have quicker results.
I can really enjoy the memories - especially now that I live in Sunny Southern California!!
I worry about not so much the kids but my husband if the power should go out for an extended period of time or permentantly. My kids do okay reading and the younger two play pretty well with themselves and by themselves but my husband...
he grew up in the Nintendo/MTV/24-7 era and the idea of a long term power outage makes him cranky.
Cranky. That's a very nice way of putting it LOL. Somehow, whenever we have winter weather issues, my husband turns into Rambo and keeps himself occupied fairly easily. The kids however, do get stir crazy. You can only look at the same 4 walls for so long before it makes you crazy. We're halfway through winter...hopefully the next 6 weeks will prove a little more pleasant.
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