I sat up in bed, grabbed my buzzing phone, and saw the ALERT for a new voicemail. “Who calls so early?” I thought as I checked the message.

“Hello, school parents. Due to the hazardous road conditions, school will not be in session today.” The time was 6 a.m. My brain went from sleep to overdrive in a matter of one minute and 17 seconds.

The weather has been crazy recently. (Can I get an amen?) Each day last week posed the question of whether our campus would be in session. It was also uncertain if area secondary schools would be open. For Missouri Southern students who are parents, not only are we thinking of our assignments and teachers, but also those of our kiddos.

Thirty-four percent of Southern’s students are non-traditional, according to Dory Quinn, Project Stay director. Not every non-traditional student is a parent, but several are. A non-traditional student is defined by MSSU as anyone over the age of 25. MSSU does not collect data on the number of students who are parents.

The phone call I received that morning from my son’s school came as a surprise. The night before, we thought school would be in session. In fact, his school’s social media announcement included a midday note that classes would probably be held. However, at almost literally the last moment, when the school buses tested road conditions, the grave importance of student safety rose to the surface. We live in a community near Joplin and many of the families in the district live on rural roads.

So I jumped out of bed, winced as I stepped on a Lego, quickly dialed my backup babysitter, woke my sleepy kiddo earlier than usual, got us both ready, and then took his backpack out of the car, grabbed my backpack, checked for my homework, realized I left my homework stuck in the pile of textbooks that I had fallen asleep reading the night before, ran back inside to grab the paper, and then drove on those treacherous roads to drop him off early so I could try to make it to class on time.

My suggestion to fellow parents is to have a plan in place long before you need to implement it. Have a backup childcare plan. Have a backup for your backup. You might check with YMCA facilities for a Snow Day program.

A good thing to put into practice is to touch base with those backups when the weather is uncertain just to give a heads up to the provider or facility. If you are not a parent, keep these tips in mind if you become a parent someday; meanwhile, realize that being a backup provider is a great opportunity to help another student out or to make some cash.

Sitting in class on that fateful morning, I pulled my notebook out of my backpack and, alas, a little sock bearing the words “Future Lion” slipped out along with it. In spite of the confusion and conflict of the unexpected snow day, I was reminded once again just how important it is for me to set a good example for my little lion cub. No matter how challenging it gets, I know that finishing my degree will not only help me attain my dreams and goals, it will help him see the value of staying in school – no matter what.