If you would have told me that this Florida native would have been able to survive and thrive in a city with snow for years, I would have called you a liar. For three years, my family lived in St. Louis, Missouri. Our first year in St. Louis we received 10 inches and the following year it was double that. Needless to say, I went from being prepared for hurricanes and thunderstorms to be able to drive in the snow and even on ice – only because it was absolutely necessary to get my daughters from preschool.
With winter weather teasing us with prospects of snow and the dread of ice here in the Atlanta metro area, I want to share my tips for staying safe and having fun as snow clouds appear on our weather apps.
Prepare Your Vehicle and Driveway
Be sure to have ice melt in your garage and ready to put out before you leave. Kitty litter and sand are okay backups for putting behind your tires and on your driveway, too.
You also want to invest in a real snow brush or ice scraper – leave your debit card in your wallet. When removing the snow, clear it off of your roof and trunk, too.
If you absolutely MUST drive in the snow or on ice, be sure to remember to never slam on the brakes and to accelerate slowly. Allow your tires to grip the road as best as they can by giving them plenty of time to do their jobs.
Prepare Your Home
Power outages are always inconvenient, but they’re even more frustrating when your house is freezing and you run out of your kid’s favorite snacks. Don’t rush to the grocery store for a week’s worth of food, but have enough for a day or two and make sure that it can be prepared without power.
If you have a generator, be sure to have a space heater or heated blankets in case you’ll be sleeping without power overnight.
Prepare Your Kids
How many of us have waterproof pants and winter boots? Not many I bet. If your kids are itching to play in the snow, focus on layers and rain gear to place on top of those layers. Layer up socks, undershirts, and pants (avoid jeans) and top it off with rain boots and coats.
If you’re looking to go sledding, but don’t have a traditional sled you can get creative. Use large plastic bin lids, baby pools, laundry baskets, or clean trash can lids. They all do the job and you’ll have funny photos.
BONUS: Here are my favorite snow activities (especially when there aren’t many inches of snow or when you know it will quickly melt).
Make Ice Cream
Place a bowl outside and make sure you’re catching fresh snow for this recipe.
Bring Snow Inside
Grab a baking pan or bowl and bring the snow inside if your littles are too small or you’re not comfortable with them being in freezing temperatures for too long. You can turn it into a sensory bin for littles and add their figurines or small vehicles.
Fill Up Water Guns with Colored Water
If you have just enough snow on the ground, you can make art with some colored water and your summer water guns. Fill them up and let the kids run outside to create art on their blank canvas.
This winter, enjoy the snow (fingers crossed we get to play in some soon) and stay warm.
