“It’s like you don’t want to cook anymore” MAYBE I DON’T!
tinaguzman
New member
@tinaguzman Every time I ask it’s “idk whatever you want” and I’m like, that’s the least helpful answer. Food is fuel at this point for me 
amber61597
New member
@amber61597 Yes. I need to recharge. I might get one hour uninterrupted if I choose to sacrifice my sleep after the kids go to bed, but something seems to always come up. A nightmare, a feeding, a loud noise woke one of them, etc. it’s been a long journey already 
@de_maria You need to plan ahead so this is less stressful. I have been both the at home parent and the at work parent. I am currently the at work and my husband does all of the meals.
Someone is going to have to cook. You’re home, so it’s you. It is what is is. It sucks, I know.
Whatever your Sunday dinner is, will also be Tuesday nights dinner.
One meal of the week is macaroni and jarred sauce. Now you have three meals out of the way.
Get a slow cooker. On Monday, you will make a big batch of whatever. That is also Thursdays meal. Get some white rice made from your local Chinese takeout, it’s like a dollar. That’s two more meals.
Now you have five meals covered and you only cooked three times, and one of those times was opening a jar. Use your slow cooker one more time to double batch a meal and you’re done.
It is hard to be the stay at home parent and hard to be the working parent. Even though I am the worker I cook on sundays and make enough for Tuesday because I know tuesdays on our house are insane (sports, clubs, etc). That takes a bit off my husband that night.
Also the nights you are cooking cut up some extra veggies and tell the kids it’s for dinner but they can have a little. Somehow they eat it more because they “can’t have it” so now you shoved some veggies in them.
This is because you are cooking a separate meal for the kids. You are not a short order cook. Cut that shit out. You made a meal. They can eat it or fend for themselves. I will not make two meals. Go have a banana or an apple.
Someone is going to have to cook. You’re home, so it’s you. It is what is is. It sucks, I know.
Whatever your Sunday dinner is, will also be Tuesday nights dinner.
One meal of the week is macaroni and jarred sauce. Now you have three meals out of the way.
Get a slow cooker. On Monday, you will make a big batch of whatever. That is also Thursdays meal. Get some white rice made from your local Chinese takeout, it’s like a dollar. That’s two more meals.
Now you have five meals covered and you only cooked three times, and one of those times was opening a jar. Use your slow cooker one more time to double batch a meal and you’re done.
It is hard to be the stay at home parent and hard to be the working parent. Even though I am the worker I cook on sundays and make enough for Tuesday because I know tuesdays on our house are insane (sports, clubs, etc). That takes a bit off my husband that night.
Also the nights you are cooking cut up some extra veggies and tell the kids it’s for dinner but they can have a little. Somehow they eat it more because they “can’t have it” so now you shoved some veggies in them.
This is because you are cooking a separate meal for the kids. You are not a short order cook. Cut that shit out. You made a meal. They can eat it or fend for themselves. I will not make two meals. Go have a banana or an apple.
positiveflux
New member
@jblanco Hi, I don't like this response. Why, you ask? Well.
"Plan ahead" is such a dismissive and insidiously critical thing to say to someone who is already feeling broken down and unsupported.
Children can't fend for themselves and the role of the parent is to take care of them and feeding them is part of that. You can't just "cut that shit out" and tell your CHILD to fend for themselves. They need your help.
Finally, a human can't survive on what essentially boils down to "suck it up cause it's on you." At a point, everyone will break with that mindset, and it sounds like you may blame the person who broke.
"Plan ahead" is such a dismissive and insidiously critical thing to say to someone who is already feeling broken down and unsupported.
Children can't fend for themselves and the role of the parent is to take care of them and feeding them is part of that. You can't just "cut that shit out" and tell your CHILD to fend for themselves. They need your help.
Finally, a human can't survive on what essentially boils down to "suck it up cause it's on you." At a point, everyone will break with that mindset, and it sounds like you may blame the person who broke.
@positiveflux Halfway agree. It depends on the ages of the kiddos imo, my grandmother did this with my dad growing up— “PB&J is always on the menu, as long as you make it” rule. Obviously once they were old enough to do so, so like 5+.
Otherwise yeah the tone of the parent comment here is sort of rude. It’s an efficient suggestion but it’s not what OP asked for I think.
Otherwise yeah the tone of the parent comment here is sort of rude. It’s an efficient suggestion but it’s not what OP asked for I think.
positiveflux
New member
@cink Life with young children is rough. It just is. There is no magic pill that will make it easy. Giving people false expectations that they need some “one weird trick” and life will be easy again is not helpful, either.
So resign yourself to life being a bit of drudgery with spots of immense joy. Stop taking on work that makes you nuts and lean in to the rest.
Here’s an example; I had a one year old, elementary schoolers, a full time job, and a critical employee husband who worked through Covid out of the house. I have no family nearby and it’s a pandemic anyway. You lean in.. You survive. And that’s fine.
So resign yourself to life being a bit of drudgery with spots of immense joy. Stop taking on work that makes you nuts and lean in to the rest.
Here’s an example; I had a one year old, elementary schoolers, a full time job, and a critical employee husband who worked through Covid out of the house. I have no family nearby and it’s a pandemic anyway. You lean in.. You survive. And that’s fine.
mommybear39
New member
@jblanco This is a great idea. You've given her a blue print for meals. People can adjust to what suits them. But the blue print is there.
I do something similar. One big batch of vegetable soup gets prepped. One batch of pasta salad with veg is prepped. Oatmeal is individually prepped. And then rice/potatoes and beans get prepped or made throughout the week. This is fine until I get the urge/ inspiration for other foods.
People who can eat cheese and meats, a selection of cheese and few selections of cold cuts from the deli make excellent cheese and crackers, sandwiches, and grilled toasts to get you through to cooked mealtimes. This is the diet of most of western Europe for 1 -2 meals every day. Somehow they've all managed to survive.
I do something similar. One big batch of vegetable soup gets prepped. One batch of pasta salad with veg is prepped. Oatmeal is individually prepped. And then rice/potatoes and beans get prepped or made throughout the week. This is fine until I get the urge/ inspiration for other foods.
People who can eat cheese and meats, a selection of cheese and few selections of cold cuts from the deli make excellent cheese and crackers, sandwiches, and grilled toasts to get you through to cooked mealtimes. This is the diet of most of western Europe for 1 -2 meals every day. Somehow they've all managed to survive.