As North India’s cold wave intensifies, schools in Delhi-NCR have stayed shuttered for much of December and January, with classes flipping unpredictably between online sessions, hybrid formats, or outright cancellations. Thick fog, freezing temperatures, and worsening air pollution have prompted officials to put student safety first. Yet these extended closures are wearing down families—working parents and homemakers alike report exhaustion and irritation, as kids grapple with lost routines, discipline, and study focus.