Last week proves that life is unpredictable and an old dog can learn new tricks. The weather has been cold and snowy all week. That means children have to wear outdoor gear to play outside. This is hearty country, snow is a fact and we don't let a few flurries or even a few inches stop our lives. Temperature twenty-two, no problem, just dress warmly and have a good time.
My challenge to get eight two and three years old dressed for outdoor play. Remember this is a woman who has not even zipped up a coat in twenty years. Snow pants? How do these boots fasten? What, you need a hat and a snow hood? The names have been changed to protect me.
Susie has all her outdoor gear on, snow pants zipped up, coat buttoned, hat snug over ears, hands snuggled into gloves and snow boots laced with pants tucked in. She is ready to go. Now for Tommy, we go through the same process only problem his boots are tight and we struggle to get his feet in. In the mean time John is trying to climb the shelves to get his favorite toy. I drop Tommy just in time to catch John. Tommy has now taken off the boots we just worked so hard to put on. Seems taking things off is more fun and easier than putting them on. Mary comes over crying because Bobby hit her. I give her a hug and wipe her nose. Then back to Tommy's boots.
Garrett, Katie, and Lucy impatient and bored decide to play puppies and start crawling around the room barking. They tumble into one another and Lucy the smallest is knocked over and bumps her head on the floor, this starts her howling. I race to get her an ice pack for her owee and Katie and Susie decide to join in the crying session. I try to distract Katie by putting her things on. It works and she is dressed without mishap.
I gave them all their snow pants and told them to put them on at the beginning. Some will try others will not. John who is older has his on. I quickly help him with coat, hat and gloves. The gloves just won't go on. Frustrated I say something to the other teacher she glacnces over and says "you have then on the wrong hand." I make the change, things work so much better when you do them right.
Four down and four to go. Susie who has been waiting patiently decides she is ready, why wait, and heads out the door. Her friends ready or not follow. I run to the door and herd them all back into the room. They are admonished and instructed to wait until everyone is dressed for outdoors.
Mary and Bobby just need help with zippers, that is sometimes an easy task sometimes not. There are the zippers that stick and the ones that go up but fail to hold the jacket together. The zippers that refuse to move and the ones that pull the bottom of the jacket toward the top. Zipper with pulls to small for big fingers and zippers with pulls on the inside of the jacket.
Finally success, they look like little marshmallows all bundled in their pink, blue and red snow suits. Everyone is dressed and ready to play. Susie says " someone is stinky". We ask "is it you"? she replies "no." Now comes the sniff test to see if you can locate the source of the offending smell. It's Lucy. Off comes your coat, gloves, hat,and scarf. Off comes Lucy's hat, coat gloves etc., etc., etc.,
Such are the challenges of living in Montana.
