MIDLAND, Texas — With classrooms empty and students at home because of the cold weather, it's the perfect time to enjoy some time in with your kids.
"First thing we want to tell parents is we want them to have the opportunity to recreate the magic of a snow day like we had when we were growing up," said Kristi Edwards, CEO of Centers for Children and Families.
There are a lot of fun activities that you all can do together to get the magic going.
"Some of the things we want to do is bring out games, don’t make it like it like 'oh you have to read, you have to write your spelling words,'" said Edwards. "Let’s just create this whole experience. Bring out some games, let them pick their favorite game, everyone participates. Build forts, let them crawl blanket forts, that’s what we grew up doing."
It's important to also let your kids have some much needed down time.
"We want them to be able to have some down time of their own, because we’re very busy when we go back to school and work after the holidays, so if somebody wants to peel off and go read, let them do that," said Edwards. "Read books together."
When lunch and dinner time come, use the little extra helpers you have around.
"One of my kids' favorite things when we we’re home, and you couldn't get out anywhere, we talked about what we’re gonna have for lunch or dinner and we’d call it a smorgasbord, so everybody got to choose their favorite thing that we had, and they got to participate in cooking it," said Edwards.
On days like this, it can be tough, but be sure to bask in the time you all are sharing as a family.
"Being a parent is exhausting, and on these days it’s gonna be no less exhausting, and possibly more, but you have to remember this is not going to last forever," said Edwards. "So what I can do is, I just have to put my own agenda in my back pocket, and if I fully embrace being a kid again, or the excitement of being a kid again, I think you can find some joy in that."