Beautiful Inclemency

What is 'bad' weather, anyway?

Sub-umbrella perspective

Last week, I sat on the sidelines of my littlest son’s U10 soccer game, huddled under an umbrella, wearing a long-sleeved shirt and a light down jacket. It was around 14˚C (57˚F), so a bit chillier than one might expect at this time of year. There was a misty rain coming down, and I was very hungry, so it felt like a long hour.

I could sense other parents struggling around me—and I knew they were, because several had complained earlier in the scheduling app’s chat group that they wished the game were cancelled due to the less-than-ideal weather. The coach was having none of it. She wrote back, “It will build character.” I agreed with her.

But the kids—oh, the kids! They were adorable, impervious to the weather. They ran and chased the ball with inexhaustible enthusiasm. Even when they weren’t actively playing, many were jumping and leaping and bouncing. Their small bodies exuded palpable joy out on that wet field, and I couldn’t help but smile.

When one kid started doing spontaneous somersaults during halftime, I laughed out loud, and a nearby dad did so, too. “They’re so happy!” I commented, and the dad said, “Yep, they need this.” Later, my son said they’d had two indoor recesses at school, due to the rain, which might explain why this group of boys was so energetic.

Is It Bad, or Just Inconvenient?

It got me thinking about weather in general, and how we adults are so quick to categorize weather as “bad” when it really isn’t.

Yes, there are times when it is unsafe for kids to play sports or go out for recess, like if there is lightning or extreme heat or torrential downpours or whiteout blizzard conditions or high winds; but much of the time our eagerness to shut down outdoor play stems from a place of inconvenience for us, the adults who sit shivering or sweating on the sidelines, who have to deal with the muddy, sticky clothes, the soggy boot liners or soccer cleats, the snow-encrusted snowsuits, the sun protection gear and interminable sunscreen applications.

The kids themselves are happy to play in almost any conditions, but we adults, fretting about minor details, block them from doing so, citing “bad weather” as an excuse. It’s so much easier, tidier, simpler to keep them inside, hand them a screen, enjoy a quiet hour to ourselves—zero cleanup required.

The problem is that our children then learn to view any less-than-perfect weather as being bad, something to avoid. Kids take their cues from us, watching us, imitating us, figuring out how to respond to the natural world. They grow up into adults who also complain about the weather and, instead of appreciating natural seasonal fluctuations and making the most of it, prefer to sit around indoors, waiting for the “perfect” day to appear.

Sadly, many great experiences will pass you by, if you wait for a perfect day to appear.

Less Complaining, More Playing

Most adults have a bad habit of complaining incessantly about the weather. Maybe it’s a Canadian thing, I don’t know, but it certainly gets tedious.

I get frustrated by forecasters on CBC Radio, our national broadcaster, who seem to denigrate all weather unless it’s sunny and moderately warm. Everything, from clouds and rain to heat and cold, is made out to be hindrance, even when the season calls for it. Snow in January—in Canada, of all places—is the source of endless grumbling, with comments like, “Thankfully we’ll be seeing some milder temps in the days to come,” even though unseasonably warm weather in the middle of winter is a disturbing phenomenon. Who wants that?

I had an older friend who once told me that inclement weather is his favourite kind of weather, and though it surprised me at the time (I was a teenager), I can now relate. I love a brisk hike on a rainy or snowy day, especially if I know I can change into dry clothes as soon as I get home. Something about it is profoundly energizing. I’ll often take my kids along, not only for the immediate benefit of getting out and moving in the fresh air, but also for the longer-term lesson that weather isn’t “bad”; it just requires a different strategy to deal with.

A frigid icy walk along Lake Huron in February

Prepare for Success

Proper outdoor gear goes a long way to enjoying inclement weather. When parents invest in high-quality rain gear, waterproof boots, well-insulated mittens, and great sun hats, many more opportunities for outdoor play appear.

Also required are ways of dealing with the muddy, soggy, sandy children and their clothing afterward. I have a great drying rack that folds out from the wall, as well as an outdoor tap and shower for rinsing feet and hands, and special mitt dryers that fit over the floor vents. I toss dirty towels and blankets over the deck railing. My parents hang all wet winter gear from the ceiling of their entrance way, which dries quickly, thanks to a nearby woodstove (whose name is Raven).

With good, effective systems in place, weather ceases to be “bad” and becomes instead a wonderful opportunity for play, exercise, socialization, exploration, and fun. Some of my best childhood memories involve splashing in puddles, fishing and biking in the rain, burrowing into snowbanks with frozen mittens, chipping through ice, and leaning into powerful winds to see if they could support me.

Objectively bad weather, but perfect for snowmobiling!

We parents should question our own authority on this question of weather: Who are we to decide what “perfect” is? What might seem dreadful to us could be dreamy play conditions for our kids, and we should not deprive them of that opportunity. We shouldn’t be so quick to cancel sports games when the conditions might still be totally playable, but maybe not so fun for us spectators.

One little boy scored a goal during last week’s cold, wet soccer game—and as his teammates embraced him, he shrieked joyfully, “My first goal! My first-ever goal! I can’t believe I got my first goal!” He was so delighted, so proud, that it made me a little emotional, watching and listening, to think that the discomfort of a light rain might have gotten in the way of him achieving that.

Let’s strive to raise kids who make the most of whatever weather they get, instead of waiting around for perfect weather to show up. These childhood days are too short, too fleeting, and too precious to waste like that.

You Might Also Like:

• Wonder, an Antidote to Despair

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• Little Cabin in the Big Woods

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