Cabin fever survival ideas.

OK... part of what I was trying to get at though is that you don't necessarily need that much more gear. Gear that you normally wear in 40-degree weather plus boots (if he doesn't already have them) and snowpants should get you there. Lots of fun sliding stuff to do on ice in your own yard. And getting outside and burning off some energy, even in super-cold weather, is really the best cabin-fever-buster of all. I speak as both a former kid from Minnesota and as a parent of a half-Illinoisan and half-Ohioan kid (Illinois winters were worse...)

Sounds scary in general though, in terms of transportation etc. Hope you have lots of provisions and that everyone stays warm and safe...!

can't you buy some used wintergear for a few dollars at goodwill store ?
you can donate it again when no longer needed .
heavy socks , long johns/sweat pants (to wear under regular pants) or lined pants , windproof jacket and warm hat should see you through - make sure it's a bit oversized - if it's tight fitting it won't keep him warm .
any indoor recreation centre nearby ? even walking in the shopping mall for an hour is good exercise .
have you asked mo would he would like to do ?
stay warm !
hbg

You don't need 'gear' so much as extra layers. Even when it's minus forty, you can get too warm if you've got the layers right. Do you have any polar fleece layers that can go under a good wind-breaker? any hats/mitts/scarves at all?

The trickiest thing is footwear, but more than a few gangs of kids have put plastic bags between two pairs of socks (thin cotton on the inside), inside their high tops.

Day 11 of captivity....

I finally ventured beyond the yard today. I had to. I couldn't take it anymore.

Of course, I got stuck in a slush rut one block from the house but a kindly neighbor man I'd never met showed up on his white hourse and dug me out.

I continued my journey to the hobby shop. Weather be damned -- I would buy model paint today and find a place to buy some bread.

We made it out, with help, and made it back in one piece.

I am losing my mind.

Day 12 could prove interesting....

I should probably take neighbor man a lovely gift. Maybe he would let me sit on his sofa and cry. Maybe he has wine.

I sympathize.

I was just squinting at batshit girl earlier tonight and thinking "damn she's batshitty -- wonder how boomer and Mo are doing?"

And we have a high of 67 tomorrow. (While it was 15 below zero less than a week ago. Columbus is so weird.)

We've had waves of visitors and excitement (grandparents) but she's missing her friends specifically and she is missing general kid interaction generally. And she hasn't been getting enough exercise, just circumstances. A family is coming over tomorrow, should help. Plus her new Razor scooter.