Cook Your Family Dinner

A girl came into the lunch room today. She was like "oh I have left overs because I finally made dinner and then my kids wouldn't eat it". The she went on to say how they wanted McDonald's like they usually have. I was like do you get that for them every day? She said 2 or 3 times a week (I'm guessing it's more the way she paused before she answered) and started to talk about how she was trying to cut down because one of her three girls is a little thick.

I was like "well you know" (I'm sure everyone likes it when I start talking like that) just because your other girls aren't thick doesn't mean that it's good for them either. I had this same conversation with another girl one day at work too. People have this false sense that if their kids are thin they can eat junk. Pretty sure that junk food is just as capable of making a thin child sick as it is a thick one.

I think it's amazing how many people don't cook anymore. I know that having both parents working and then the children in multiple programs after work are a big contributor to that happening. What's the answer? Maybe scale back how many activities you have going on or do some make ahead or crock pot cooking? We have scaled way back on how much the kids do and I think twice before letting my kids sign up for things now. Sure, that sport might be good for him to go out and get fresh air but it's also going to involve a lot of family stress. I know a lot of people aren't going to agree with me on this but our lives are so much more calm without the constant running to and fro everywhere.

When Scott was working two hours away EVERYTHING besides his work fell on me and honestly it takes a lot of time and effort to do everything. School, band and one sport take up enough for our little family and that's just Trevor.  I can't imagine adding more in now.

Back when the kids were little both girls played softball, both did Girl Scouts, and then also at one point we had Trevor in baseball too. I felt like a ping pong ball bouncing back and forth all over town. We ate out a lot then.  It was a struggle to even be home in time to eat before everyone was starving, let alone cook something.

I much prefer the calm of being home after school and making dinner. We can all go ride our bikes or run around the block for some exercise.