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Ahead of a major winter storm forecast to affect much of the country throughout the weekend, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has announced that there will be no snow days for children.
The storm is expected to hit the city Sunday and continue through Monday, bringing 8 to 12 inches of snow and freezing temperatures.
In a press conference on Friday, Mamdani said the final decision between studying in person and studying will be announced on Sunday at noon.
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“I have to apologize to the students who were hoping for a different answer on the human snow day,” he said. “It won’t be like that.”
‘Unlocking’ mental health
After Mamdani’s controversial announcement, doctors opposed this decision, stating that snow days can benefit children.
Snow days can benefit children, doctors shared with Fox News Digital. (Stock)
“From a mental health perspective, an old-school, untethered snow day is very healthy for kids,” Jonathan Alpert, a psychiatrist and author based in New York, Washington, DC, told Fox News Digital. “Sometimes the healthiest message we can send kids is simple: ‘Today, go out and have fun.’
Snow days shouldn’t be seen as “time lost,” Alpert added. They help regulate the nervous system, improve mood and allow children to return to school more focused and refreshed.
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He noted that time spent outside exercising can be beneficial.
“The occasional snow day gives kids something they don’t often get now: good old-fashioned outdoor fun,” he said. “Sledding, snowballs, building castles … no screens, no Zoom links, no pressure to stay productive.”
“Kids don’t need more screen time,” he added. “They need movement, fresh air, random play and permission to cross.”
Many doctors support an “old fashioned snow day” for kids to play outside, get fresh air, and “get together and socialize.” (Jill Brady/Portland Portland Press Herald via Getty Images)
Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel emphasized the benefits of having a full day off without responsibilities.
“I love the idea of an old-fashioned snow day for mental and physical health — for kids to play in the snow, build a carrot-nosed snowman, comming and socialize, and have harmless snowball fights,” he said.
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Kathryn L. Jones, MD, Ph.D., a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Richmond Children’s Hospital at VCU in Richmond, Virginia, also supports snow days as a way to help kids slow down and rediscover play.
“Kids don’t need more screen time. They need movement, fresh air, unplanned play and permission to disconnect.”
“Kids and teenagers are very organized with extracurriculars – and even if they have free time, they tend to seek relaxation and rejuvenation online, either by playing video games or engaging with the many social media apps they have,” he told Fox News Digital.
“With so much external and internal pressure to grow up fast, we end up with kids who become adults who forget to play,” Jones continued. “There is such a joy in playing outside in the snow, seeing the textures, the temperatures, all the senses are activated and engaged.”
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Jones suggested that Snow Day doesn’t get the “respect and grace” it deserves.
“For lessons learned about nature, the world around us and our inner spaces, a snow day is important.”
Good and bad reading
Alpert pointed out that Zoom-based learning was found to be ineffective during the COVID crisis.
“We’ve already done real life-changing research with distance learning during times of violence, and the results were clear,” Alpert said.
“Keep warm, wear hats, gloves and coats—and if you get wet, go indoors and take a warm shower and a cup of hot chocolate,” says one doctor. (Stock)
“Cram school doesn’t work like real learning or real relaxation. It keeps kids ‘on’ mentally without giving them structure or recovery, which is where stress and burnout build.”
Jarrod M. Leffler, Ph.D., chief of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychology at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU in Richmond, Virginia, noted that virtual learning can have benefits if done right.
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“Turning to virtual learning during the snow can provide consistency for the student and reduce the ability to add days to the school year,” he told Fox News Digital. “For some young people, this can be a positive experience.”
However, if learning is not properly planned, supported and implemented, the transition to virtual can cause more stress on students and teachers, according to Leffler.
“For the lessons learned about nature, the world around us and our inner spaces, the snow day is important,” said the doctor. (Stock)
“Also, depending on how bad the weather is, teachers may be left to manage life pressures that are not usually paid attention to while teaching, which leads to the teacher being stressed, which can affect learning,” he said.
“It is important not to place a high learning load on the student in order to reduce the increased stress and affect emotional and behavioral performance.”
Tips for a safe, effective snow day
For kids who get the chance to enjoy an untethered snow day, doctors offer some simple tips to get the most out of it.
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“Stay warm, wear hats, gloves and coats — and if you get wet, go inside for a warm shower and a cup of hot chocolate,” suggests Siegel.
“These are some of my fondest memories from childhood, along with sliding down the ‘hill of the dead.’
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If being outside isn’t an option due to extreme weather, Leffler suggested that children can participate in indoor activities that are rewarding, fun and creative.
“It may help caregivers to help plan and/or offer some options for household chores to help reduce potential stress and frustration if the child has to stay indoors,” she advises.
