“Too wet to go out, too cold to play ball, So we sat in the house and did nothing at all. And all we could do was to sit, sit, sit! And we did not like it, not one little bit.”

I’m a huge fan of Dr. Seuss. I’ve always liked to say that he’s what got me into writing. “The Cat in the Hat” was my favorite, so much so that when I took that tattoo plunge in my misspent youth, I got that smiling cat permanently etched on my ankle – there forever to keep me young at heart … or some such.

Days like today (cold and rainy Sunday in Salem, Mass.) make me think of that old hatted cat and wish he’d pay a visit to my house. Even if Thing 1 and Thing 2 brought that terrible mess, even if our metaphorical fish ended up in the imaginary teapot, so be it. At least the kids would be entertained.

Anyone who has had toddlers knows this to their core, rainy weekend days can truly suck.

It’s odd because I used to love rainy Sundays, particularly in the fall. Late sleep, Sunday paper, “Meet the Press,” maybe a brunch and on in to football. What could be better? Not much, not much at all.

Now, well, things have changed. My own Thing 1 and Thing 2 don’t exactly like “Meet the Press” (maybe they were just Russert fans, but I think it might be something more). They like TV but, even in my darkest hour, I can’t subject them to 8 hours of tube. And things get even harder when as is happening today, The Wife has made plans (spa day on Newbury Street, thank you very much) and the kids’ late summer need for outdoor fun hasn’t exactly made way for the fall/winter joy of indoor chill.

So, what to do? Here’s some tips for Dads that find themselves with 10 hours, two boys and a deep-rooted desire to not end up insane before “60 Minutes” hits.

1. Have a plan. Doesn’t matter how simple or complex it is, mentally map out the day. I’m not talking every child BM, but roughly sketch out the day in your mind. The worse thing that could happen is that the kids finally get tired of knocking around the house and you have nowhere to go and nothing to do.
2. Embrace the silence. Like my old days as a reporter, it’s tempting to try to fill the uncomfortable silence when kids get quiet. You want to ask what they’re doing, what they’re thinking about or what they want to do. Don’t. Like a source who always wants to talk, you’ll find that kids tend to find something to do to amuse themselves if you just give them some space and the room to roam.
3. Have at least one outdoor activity. This is particularly important in this season, where kids are used to running around the neighborhood to burn off steam. A full day indoors just might kill them. So have a good two-hour outdoor plan of some sort. This can include lunch at a restaurant but can’t be just that – they’ll just tear that place up. The Mall is always my last choice, hate that place and all it does is cost me money that results in more toys in the box. But letting them run the halls does burn off some steam. Some good businesses have sprouted up that cater to this particular need. They’re way overpriced but, desperate times … Today, that means we’ll probably end up at a joint called Monkey Joe’s, a huge indoor room full of bouncy houses. That should take a bit of the edge off.
4. Dig to the bottom of the toy box. I still remember as a kid that feeling of finding a long-lost toy I hadn’t seen in a while. Dig up the toy box or, better yet, let them. It’ll kill a ton of time and they just might find a new/old hidden gem.
5. Projects, but not the kind you think. Like most men, it’s my wife who has the artistic side. I’d love to spend an hour making paper machete horses but that just isn’t going to happen – everything I make still ends up being an ashtray. But that doesn’t mean we can’t do house projects. The other day, my youngest took as much joy at putting away the dishwasher silverware as he did coloring. And it helps teach responsibility, I guess.

So there’s my top 5, please share yours. It’s still early out there and another rainy weekend day can’t be too far behind. I could use some more good ideas just in case my friend The Cat in the Hat doesn’t show.

When you can’t find Dave spinning the Beacon Hill press corps, he’s blogging over at the PR Finish Line or reliving one of the 36 U2 concerts he’s seen. Follow him on Twitter @davidguarino.

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