Winter - Funny Parenting Stories for Fathers (and Mothers)

Enjoying Winter Vacation Through Outdoor Activities

Wife found snowboard lessons for The Boy during Vacation Week. Our little daredevil likes the idea of hurtling down a hill, so why not. It’s a great way to spend the daylight hours leading up to his kickboxing classes. I was never much for snowboarding. I was more of a skier, not that I was good at it. I wasn’t. Some people skied because they liked it and wanted to go. Some fanatics even had their own ski equipment at home for multiple trips during the season. I went skiing because friends were going or there was field trip for school or the church youth group.

“They threw me off that mountain. I didn’t ski anything. I fell down a mountain. I don’t even know where the skis went. I had to pay for the skis, because I never found them. – John Pinette

This week marks the beginning of Winter Vacation. It’s the week all the Miracles of Christ celebrate a temporary reprieve from the cruel and unusual punishments of Academia. It’s also the week in February parents dread walking through the doors of their humble abodes because of what disasters might be awaiting them when they return.

School Vacation Meant Time with Friends

School break for me meant hanging out at friends’ houses and playing basketball or street hockey. We got together in a room or a basement to see what high scores we could top. It was a glorious week of not worrying about school, tests, or homework.

The Boy and the Fruit Loops are always getting together after school. With my son’s speed and dexterity, he can open the door, drop off his school things, and be at his friend’s house before the door closes.

One of my few days on the slopes. (L to R) My friend, Chris, Chris’ dad, me.

Back to snowboarding, which I didn’t do because the idea of having both feet attached to the same instrument made me a little more wary of gravity. I’m sure the boy is going to have fun. He’s an active child and loves doing things outside. Bombing down the hill and shushing to and fro will be just the thing for a tween who has boundless energy and loves to see what he can do in the elements. He hasn’t been watching much of the Olympics, but there is a just under a week left, so who knows?

More Time with The Boy. One of Us is Excited.

As usual, the best part of this for me will be the drives we take to and from the lessons. I will ask what he thinks about the upcoming day and he will shrug. Coming home from the lessons, I will ask him how it was, and he will shrug his shoulders and say it was good, nothing happened, and that will be the extent of our conversation.

The most important thing will be The Boy trying new things. He’s still seeing what’s out there, and just about everything seems interesting to him, especially Anime and bike riding around the neighborhood with the Fruit Loops. Maybe a week of snowboarding will turn him on to a whole new world of Winter sports. He has taken a liking to golf in the warmer weather. Snowboarding might be a way for him to spend his free time in the Winter. Of course, I would be happy to go with him on these excursions. He can snowboard and I can ski.

The boy with his snowboarding equipment. He is the future of this country, so the helmet is imperative.

The Boy will have Fun

Again, I am not saying I am any good at this, but it would be a nice way of spending time with him. I’m always down for that. Not only would I get to spend time with my son, but I can also get some exercise outdoors. Winter means more time indoors at the gym and less time outside on my bike. Cardio on the Blue Hills would be a great thing to do while showing off what limited flexibility I have.

Hopefully, The Boy will have fun doing this. I’m sure he will, and I’m sure he will make some new friends thanks to his outgoing and magnetic personality. The Fruit Loops, no doubt will want to know how the snowboarding lessons went and how he did. Did he like doing it? He will fill them in on all of the details of the day. Certainly, a lot more will be shared with the neighborhood crew than with me. I’m just his father. All I’m good for is transportation and getting him home so he can see his friends.

Things to do in February: Embracing the Shortest Month of the Year

Welcome to February. It’s a month that gets a bad rap every year. Most people who complain about it seem to talk about it being in the dead of winter with nothing happening. Maybe it’s the hangover from the Holidays talking, or maybe it’s because it still gets dark earlier and when it is light, the days are gray.

There is Valentine’s Day, but that’s more of a holiday for couples. Single people don’t celebrate this holiday. For the kids, there’s school vacation. If you’re lucky enough, you will have President’s Day off. Other than that, what is there in the month of February? Not much.

What to do in February

There’s snow on the ground in Massachusetts, so you can go sledding. If you’re a skier, there’s that too. Ice skating at a frozen pond.

When I was in high school, my friends and I would play street hockey or basketball. Back to the frozen pond thing, you could play ice hockey if you’re talented like that. I like to spend my free evenings (if I have any) watching a high school basketball or hockey game. I like watching sports, plus it gives you the chance to support the local schools.

Speaking of hockey, the annual Beanpot Tournament starts tonight. Games will be played tonight and next Monday. Not long after the Beanpot, baseball players will be reporting to Spring Training, a sure sign that spring is on the way and the weather will soon be improving.

Closer to home, my family will be celebrating birthdays this month, starting with Wife. The kids and I will try to find something fun to do to celebrate the special day. We are looking for presents that she might like. Books are usually a safe bet.

The Boy and The Oppressed will be off from school for a week. Great news for them. Me? Well, that’s great news for them. We do have a trip planned to a museum. I’ll tell you about that when it happens.

I’m still going to work. This public service allows me to entertain people and help them forget about the cold weather. Some of these people are visiting from Florida, California, and other warmer parts of the country. I ask them why they would want to leave warm weather to come up here. Some people want to see Boston. Others tell me it’s not much warmer back home. A Florida couple told me it was in the 30’s when they left home. Still, that’s warmer than it is here.

The point is, February isn’t a terrible month. The weather is cold, but it’s been cold for the past three months. I’m used to it by now. Plus, it’s the shortest month of the year. So don’t complain. This is the shortest month you need to survive to. Make a cup of hot chocolate, find a good movie to watch, or read a book. There are plenty of ways to spend your time in February.

We’re getting a lot of Snow, and my Snowblower doesn’t Work

I gassed up the car. Again, a near-empty tank meant I needed to join the other Doomsday Preppers, this time at the gas station. Since I needed to gas up the car, I figured I might as well bring my gas cans and top them off as well for my snowblower. I had plenty of gas in the snowblower, but I figured I would eventually need gas anyway, so what the heck.
Returning home with full gas cans and a gassed-up truck, I proceeded to the shed to pull out my snowblower. My dad bequeathed this to me when he got his new one. He never bought a snowblower until after my brother and I moved out. My brother and I are still somewhat curious about the timing of this purchase.

Snow day is here. New Englanders have been talking about this storm all last week. Last I checked the estimate for us in my part of Massachusetts is 18-24 inches.

Snowstorm Necessities

I needed to go to the grocery store. Not because I needed the obligatory milk and bread, but because we were genuinely out of staples needed for the house. I went to Shaw’s with the typical dread I face when needed groceries coincide with the latest episode of Snowmageddon. I must say it wasn’t that bad at Shaw’s.

Returning home with full gas cans and a gassed-up truck, I proceeded to the shed to pull out my snowblower. My dad bequeathed this to me when he got his new one. He never bought a snowblower until after my brother and I moved out. My brother and I are still somewhat curious about the timing of this purchase.

Tuning up the Snowblower

I moved the snowblower and went to work getting it ready for the big day; checked the gas and primed and started it up. The snowblower didn’t start. Went through everything again. Still nothing.

Time was running short. I needed to get to work. I decided I would check on everything when I got back to work. I did just that. Returned home, ate dinner, re-read the owner’s manual, and went back outside and braved the cold and loneliness (my Miracles of Christ were inside) to see if I could revive the snowblower. I could not, and that’s where we are now.

What am I going to do? Well, I’m going to shovel. There seems like I don’t have any other choice, barring a miracle. Lucky for me and my family, I’m a healthy guy, so a little exercise won’t kill me. I’m also brave, so there’s that, too.

Time to Shovel the Snow

Snow begins to fall. We’re expecting up to 24 inches.

Shoveling is nothing new. I’ve been shoveling snow for 40 years. For a couple of years, my brother-in-law hired me to shovel some properties overnight. One property for one storm should be easier than all that. I also have two other men in my house. I know they will be happy to drop everything and help this nice man with an hour or two of clearing snow. My plan is to get out there a few hours at a time. That way we won’t be overworking ourselves.

This storm looks to be an epic one. I’ll let you know how we do.

Back from Shoveling

I went out earlier in the day. It wasn’t bad. There was only a few inches on the ground. I went back inside to warm up and reward myself with a couple of games on my Nintendo Switch.

A cup of snow. I’m going to drink the water when it melts so I can feel like a survivalist.

I left a cup outside to collect some snow. When I went shoveling overnight, I would refill my hydro flask with snow, which would melt into water in my car. This came in handy when I got thirsty. I wouldn’t need to get out of my car. The cup has since filled with snow, and soon I will have a cup of water straight from the heavens.

While I was playing on my switch, the kids were outside making sure things didn’t get out of hand. I appreciated their efforts. Not long ago, Lovie, The Oppressed, The Boy and I went back outside for another round of shoveling. Slugger stayed inside and cooked dinner for everyone.

Your Chance to Learn about Homeopathy for Free!

This is a free interactive session for anyone who is interested in learning about Homeopathy and staying healthy in the midst of cold and flu season. The session is designed with your health in mind. Not just during the winter, but throughout the entire year.

Note: this post features products I may receive a commission on.

Certified Homeopath Abby Beale is hosting “Tea with a Homeopath” on Saturday, January 24th. This is a free interactive session for anyone who is interested in learning about Homeopathy and staying healthy in the midst of cold and flu season. The session will feature fellow Homeopath Shelley Keneipp.

“Tea with a Homeopath” will begin at 12:00 EST. While the event is free, it does require registration on Zoom. The session will be recorded and sent out to all registrants after the event has ended, but all are encouraged to attend the event as it happens to ensure their questions are answered.

“Homeopathy works with your body, not against it,” Beale said in a press release promoting the free event. “Instead of masking symptoms, it helps our body heal naturally.”

The interactive session seeks to answer questions people may have about Homeopathy and help those who want to make the natural practice a part of their life, get better, and feel better. Not just during the winter, but throughout the entire year.

Beale is a skilled Homeopathy educator and the lead author of Homeopathy Primer. She is a graduate of Boston University and was drawn to the practice when she was able to resolve her sons recurring ear infections with one remedy.

Keneipp is a graduate of The British Institute of Homeopathy and the Dynamis School for Advanced Homeopathic Studies. She Contributed to Homeopathy Primer and has lectured at UCLA.

My Children Tried to Walk on Frozen Water

Some days you hope your children will make good decisions in their lives. Most days you hope for a better day tomorrow.

We were visiting family one day recently. If you live in Massachusetts, you know the cold weather we’ve been having lately. Bitter cold

We were travelling this past weekend to visit family. Granted, it wasn’t a long drive but I needed a jacket for the very short time we were outside. I’m delicate. One of the children, as I mentioned before, decided they didn’t need a jacket. They took the jacket with them to humor me. Most normal people will bring the jacket with them into the house. I hope this child meets these people someday. I clearly have nothing to teach or offer them.

We visited family that live near the water. We brought lunch with us and everyone caught up while we ate lunch. School is good. Work is good. The family is good. Corona will be over in three weeks. Everyone’s doing good. While we were visiting, the genius that left their jacket in the car needed it. I asked where it was. They said it was in the car. I commended the child for leaving the jacket in such a great place. The car gets unlocked and the child gets their jacket.

Later, one child wanted to go down and feed the ducks that, for whatever reasons they had, didn’t want to go somewhere warm. Another wanted to go with them. A couple of minutes later, one of them return to the house. It seems someone thought it would be a good idea to walk on the frozen water.

“What?” I ask. They repeat what happened. The child tried to walk on the ice.

“No, they didn’t,” I said.

“Yes, they did”

“No, they didn’t,” I said. This is my way of telling the children I know they are smarter than this and there is no way they tried something like this.

Soon enough, the second child returns into the house with shoes in their hands and wet socks on their feet. They are leaving tracks on the floor. I remind the child to take off the dripping wet socks and clean up the wet tracks behind them. I also proceed to suspend future decision-making decisions until further notice. We find the child dry socks and, somehow, a dry pair of shoes. We later return from our visit. Everyone has dry feet, clean feet, and dry socks and shoes. A further check shows everyone has their toes and certain people living in our house are still not allowed to make decisions.