Advice to My Grandsons for Clearing Snow

Our grandsons, Micah and Shiloh, turn six and four next month. They enjoy being outdoors and have reached the age where they’re independent enough to spend time playing in the snow with limited supervision. While they’re not big enough to take on the task of clearing snow from the walks and drive, they’re both good little helpers who eagerly push snow with the optimism it’s making a bigger pile to enjoy.

In just a few years, the duty of scooping snow will be theirs. Unless they migrate far enough south where it doesn’t snow, the winters ahead will bring a lifetime of snow removal. Here’s my advice to them for clearing snow:

Do the sidewalk first. It may seem like a minor detail, but every step you take compacts the snow and adds to the time it takes to clear it when you’ve become cold and tired. If your vehicles aren’t in the garage, clear them off next, then scoop the snow away from them. This helps avoid compacting it hard around vehicles. And, if you need to get out, at least the vehicle is cleared off.

Plan your path. Whether using a scoop or a snow blower, plan your approach. Depending on the snow, you may be able to throw it far. However, heavier snow is something you’ll want to avoid handling multiple times. Consider cutting a path through the center of the drive, then clearing from the inside out. Once the drive is clear, finish the edges, keeping in mind the next snow may be bigger, and you may not see bare ground for a few months. Throw the snow as far back as possible so you’re ready for the next time.

Remember the mailman and prepare for the fireman. The mailman delivers six days a week and trudges through snow all day long. Imagine the relief it will bring to find a clear path across your yard instead of forcing them to take the long way around or wade through drifts. And while we rarely consider the danger of a fire in winter, keeping snow cleared from around the fire hydrant will save precious time for the fire crew in an emergency. While you’re thinking about helping others, slip over to your neighbor’s house or the older couple up the street and clear their walk or drive. Do it because they’re your neighbors. If they offer to pay, politely decline and remind them of the good deed they did for you or someone else.

Avoid the mess and prepare for the next time. Clean off your snow shovel so it’s ready. If you’re storing it in the garage, a clean shovel won’t leave melting snow to make a mess on the floor. The same advice applies to a snow blower—the less snow left in and on the machine, the less mess in the garage. Hang up your bibs or coveralls by the belt loop or tag instead of the elastic braces. This keeps the braces from stretching out and helps them dry faster. Put away your gloves so they’ll dry properly and be ready for the next use. Tuck the laces inside your boots to keep them dry if you need to go out later in the day or the next morning. If there’s a mat for your boots, use it to save a mess; if not, a few folded newspapers work wonderfully.

I imagine there will be plenty of snow-filled days ahead for Micah and Shiloh—days of scooping, building snow forts, and learning that clearing the walk is just as important as clearing the driveway. With any luck, they’ll find joy not just in the piles of snow but in the satisfaction of a job well done (and maybe a cup of hot cocoa waiting for them inside).

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