Weather proof your kids with a winter
coat against anything Old Man Winter cares to throw at them - he'll never
get through these defences!
The outer shell layer,
wind proofing and waterproofing
Kids love the winter - or rather,
they love the snow and they love the ice and they aren't so bothered about
any of the other aspects of it as the grown ups around them are.
So as long as your kid is well wrapped up
in a proper winter coat, they can ignore anything apart from the full time,
full-on serious job of being a kid and enjoy the snow and the slipperiness
that winter brings while you're safely tucked up indoors busy NOT worrying
about how cold and dry they are.
The outer shell layer is the layer that takes the direct
battering from the elements. It should be at least windproof and preferably
waterproof too (but see below in very cold temperatures). Don't skimp on
this or imagine that you can get by with an outer garment that is "pretty
windproof" as the first time you realise it's limitations, you'll probably
be far from the nearest warm place.
Some garments such as duvet jackets have a wind-proof
outer nylon layer but are not waterproof. This has the advantage of reducing
the cost and also of making the garment softer, pliable and comfortable.
Water-resistant or water-repellent are adequate if you
will not use the garment in extended wet conditions or and will have the
opportunity to dry it out between uses. In really cold conditions, waterproof
is not necessary as there's not a lot of liquid water about!
