@angel222 I feel this. I eat a lot of nuts and fruit and coffee and Coke Zero until lo goes to sleep and I can make a healthy meal. (Or order pizza lol)
@angel222 I spend 1-2 hours(including clean up!) every Sunday cooking my weekly meals. I usually just prep burritos and wraps and throw them in foil and freeze/refrigerate and pop them in the microwave as I want them.
I make 5 breakfast burritos, 5 burritos/wraps with one protein and 5 with another. The beauty of anything in a tortilla is I can eat it with one hand while simultaneously supervising and I can change up the fillings so I don’t get too terribly bored with them!
It’s totally a Low effort, medium reward kinda deal but it is so worth it for my sanity
@angel222 I usually make extra baby food like veggie muffins or I make an adult meal and just share it so both myself and my toddler eat. I have been tempted by fruit ouches before but haven't caved yet lol.
@angel222 Lunch is leftovers from the dinners, which I cook whole my husband watches the kids after work. If there aren't leftovers, I throw together a sandwich for myself while I throw together everybody else's sandwiches, or a can of soup.
@angel222 I make my 17mo and I the same thing for breakfast, lunch and dinner. When hubby is home he gets what we get too. We either eat together or I move her highchair to the kitchen, out on music and eat while I get dishes done.
@angel222 i like to eat really simple stuff during the day like lunchmeat and cheese rolled together, nuts, berries, and yogurt. i enjoy prepping and eating one nice meal a day, like a meat and two sides, for dinner. i don't care to make the time to prep and eat multiple legit meals per day.
@angel222 My daughter (18months) has quiet time twice a day for 30 minute.
She has to play by herself. I have a cup of tea during this time and do 20 minutes of general tidy (wipe down benches, vacuum quickly, pick up a few things)
I get my daughter to ‘help’ mummy with the laundry and the dishes, it takes twice as long but we get it done eventually. My house is not spotless, but following this routine helps me to stay sane, and the house is kept in a reasonable state.
@angel222 I only have one 18 month old so I cannot fathom the stress of 3 kids. But I just eat when the kid eats. We eat three meals a day at the table. She throws her food and makes a huge mess. I just let it happen. I clean it up when she goes and plays after the meal or she "helps" me clean.
@angel222 I have a 5 year old and twin 2½ year olds so I feel your pain.
I'm sorry to say that mostly I eat lunch at nap time. They've finally gotten to the point where taking them to a park without my husband isn't insurmountable because they understand more things and want to actually play with my 5 year old and they aren't going through as many diapers as they were but SO many of my days were just the same on repeat
I feel like I'm finally coming out of survival mode. I'm sorry I don't have better advice than "survive".
@saynotocowardice Your family is shaped like mine! Yeah I can’t take mine to the park alone yet. If I have someone with me we can have an outing, but yeah I live in a second floor apartment in a crowded city... getting outside alone is a bit beyond us for now. Anyway thank you for commiserating! Survival is the thing! I do have to leverage nap time better I think. 4 yo doesn’t take one but I can make it work.
@angel222 My older one doesn't nap either but I tell her that's her 2 hours to play or pick a show on tv without the other two bothering her and that makes her happy enough to give me a little peace and quiet.
@angel222 What are your kids eating? You should all be eating the same thing. A nutritious meal. So if you prep meals for you kids, do the same for you. Plan for the 3 if you.
@angel222 I get it!! It’s not easy. And with breastfeeding even worse!! but try to have at least one super healthy, whole meal that the 4 sit down to eat at the table. This will help with your food intake and your kids ability to learn how to eat and share as a family. They can even help you! Or ask your husband (if you have one) to help you cook on Sunday and freeze.
@angel222 I feel your struggle!! I’m a work full time and stay at home simultaneously with my 7 month old so I usually am scrounging for junk too.. and breastfeeding so I AM HUNGRY 24/7. My babe has recently started solids so I have had a lot of fruits and veggies laying around. He sits in his highs chair while I have my laptop and we just eat together. Breakfast for me is usually Greek yogurt or oatmeal with nuts and berries or I fry up some eggs real quick and mash up an avocado on toast. Lunch is either dinner leftovers, or I like to eat veggies I give my little one dipped in ranch. I also am a frozen chicken nugget in the air fryer junkie, but I’m trying to cut back... Dinner is usually a battle of wills between my husband and I for who is going to go get fast food (it’s terrible but we’re tired) or actually cook something. If we cook it is baked chicken thighs with any combination of peas, green beans, corn, roasted potatoes, or any beans. I am trying to get better about having salad ingredients on hand but they spoil so dang fast!!
