I’m Praying My Kid Is Finally Old Enough To Play In The Snow By Herself

We’ve only had a few flurries so far, but any day now the snow will start piling up in my front yard. With the holidays around the corner and Frosty The Snowman specials on television every night, it’s only a matter of time before my daughter starts begging me to go out and play in the snow. And I’m really hoping that I can skip out on the whole thing this year.

I’m not a Grinch. I promise. I just really, really hate being cold. Like, I despise being cold with a kind of intensity that’s almost surprising. Even as a child, I wasn’t really excited to go outdoors after October. I was happy to curl up by the fireplace with a good book. I liked to hibernate.

Now I have a child who completely loves to get outside in her snow pants. She wants to help shovel the walk. She wants to build forts and throw snowball and make snow angels. And she wants me to help her build a six-foot tall snowman that we can decorate with carrots and buttons and a scarf.

For a couple years now, I’ve indulged her. I would be a pretty awful mother if I didn’t let my little girl experience the wonders of winter, right? That’s what I tell myself every time I pull out my hat, gloves, and boots, ready for frigid play time. I even try not to suggest we go in for hot cocoa too quickly. I try give her a little time running around.

When it comes to sledding, don’t even get my started. I can’t lie. I outsource sledding. That’s a daddy or poppa event. Freezing my extremities off is one thing. Getting a dozen bumps and bruises while I do so is a whole different ball game. I’m the least-fun winter mother ever.

Maybe this year will be the year that my daughter can play with friends or cousins outside, instead of demanding that Mommy come out and start throwing snow balls. Maybe global warming will get rid of all our snow all together. A girl can only dream. (I’m not a climate scientist, but I think the changing weather patterns just mean we’ll have bigger, crazier winter storms, not that we’ll get rid of snow all together.)

Yes, I realize how selfish I sound. A grown woman should be able to soldier through a little frostbite for the happiness and enjoyment of her child. I know, I know. I’m ruining the spirit of the holidays in all their snowy glory. That’s why I’ve spent the past three years sucking it up and shivering through weekends of igloos and snowy walks in the woods and oh-so-many snowmen. This year, I’m just hoping that my daughter old enough to not need mom’s involvement in so much freezing cold play. Is that really so horrible?

Maybe I’ll offer to pay a sitter double if they’ll go brave the cold. That’s not out of line, is it? I promise, I’ll make it all up when summer hits and I’m playing in the pool all day long!

(Photo: BlueOrange Studio/Shutterstock)