I hate to say it, but the older I get, the more the cold weather gets to me. I’ve always prided myself as someone who appreciated all four seasons, and now here I am seeking out extra blankets and space heaters on those particularly brutal days and wishing away my winters while I dream about green grass and chirping birds. Does the cold feel more cold as we age? Is that why so many seniors, including my parents, ditch the Mitten and head to Florida or Arizona for their retirement?
Turns out it’s possible that we are more affected by the cold weather as we get older, according to a story in The New York Times a few years ago. Something about a decrease in circulation and a thinning of the fat layer under our skin as we age.
So you know what that means, right?
It means that we have to make sure kids get to experience the best of winter while they can still tolerate it. And maybe if we go along for the ride, we’ll focus less on the cold and more on the fun that comes along with it.
This month’s cover story aims to help you do just that. We’re calling it “Game of Thaw” and we mean that “game” part literally. We help you navigate some of the key winter woes with kids: Bouncing Off the Walls, Whining ‘I’m Bored!’ and Suffering Serious Cabin Fever. For each of these scenarios, you can choose your path to winter activities (inside and out) and ultimately win winter. If you can’t beat it, embrace it, right?
We’ve also got another feature that’s particularly timely. In “Raising Kids with Empathy,” we explore what it takes to bring up your kids with this all-important quality. Bullying has been a hot topic for a while. That’s not new. And the fact that a deep-rooted sense of understanding and caring about someone else’s feelings goes a long way to combat bullying is understood. But something is in the air lately. And we’re seeing more and more reports about groups being singled out and mocked or teased or treated badly. That’s not something any of us can condone. And so, a little lesson on empathy – why it matters and how to foster it – seemed to be in order.
Winter may be wicked, but we don’t have to be, and neither do our children.
