How do you juggle....

[SammyRo]

ATM, DD has her tea around 5.30 and then is quite often in bed by 6.30-7pm, so I'll cook dinner then. I don't cook 2 dinners - I tend to set aside DD's meal for the next night when I cook ours, or on days like yesterday, when there was no dinner for her in the fridge, I cooked ours early so she could have that. I also go out around 6.30 on a Monday night, so that is probably the one night where I will sit and eat with DD. On the weekends, its much more flexible depending on whats going on. She;ll often eat with us and just go to bed a bit later.

[*Beema*]

Hey Pixie, how is Bump going at the moment? Much change since the other day?
I hope things are getting easier for you xxoo

[ladybird11]

I'm fairly flexible and I've found since DD has been eating similar to what DH and I eat, she has dinner with us (feeds herself by hand lol) at the table...Not sure how old your littleun is ?

So we don't really have any issues with juggling as such. We try to eat dinner between 5.30pm and 6.30pm. Then its bath time for both kids, then 'wind down' time until 8pm. Then we get both of them off to bed and the evening is ours!

[thepixie]

Leesa she's 15 months. She feeds herself too, the only real issue is that the Bear gets home from work reaaaaaaaaaaaally late, far too late for us to eat together. And that its world wrestling to get her into bed atm.
Last night was a bit different, I fed her dinner, she went to bed pretty easily, the Bear phoned at 8.30 and said he was still at work and would still be a while, so I had dinner and then he rang back just after I finished and said he was coming home and was there any chance of tea! Had to do 3 meals!!!! They were all simple but still, I should open a restaurant it would be easier!

[Inanna]

Pixie it's a circus sometimes isn't it?

I have a rule that we all eat together. All meals that we are home for we all sit down together.

We eat dinner between 6-630pm. I cook almost every day during the day. Because I have a large family and I am a single parent I really need to be organised.

I cook double of things like spagetti bolognese. I cook from scratch - the only thing I use in a can is tomatoes/tomato paste. I actually use my slow cooker for spag bog and it's gorgeous. Then the left over (sometimes I make enough for 3 meals) I make into lasagne.

I make chilli con carne the same way in the slow cooker - it is yummo and I freeze the next lot...

That way when you have a blow out day there is always something to haul out of the freezer.
I always make pesto and I freeze that too. Its great to have over pasta with a fresh green salad when you have a busy day too... Or it's easy to fry up some chicken thighs and roast some tiny tomatoes in the oven. Toss the chicken in it and the tomatoes and slice avocado over the top and add shaved parmesan!

I find with freezing it cuts out lots of work - and you all eat better!

I find if the dinner is done that is a big job out of the way. My kids like a religion are in the bath at 5pm. Immy goes to bed at 7pm - the others at 8pm. (DS and DD14 go a bit later)...

I do homework (or kids do!) at about 4.30pm. But of course some days are sport after school, guitar/piano lessons etc etc... It really does get busy.

So yep - cook in the morning or during the day and that saves heaps of stress at the end of the day.

[harleysgirl]

our tea time is 5.30 - 6pm. If one of us isnt here then a plate is made and put in the fridge for when that person comes home. That was if jed is home late from work and its the kids bed time...I can take control of it and he can have his tea in peace.
I prepare tea through the day when I have a spare 5 mins...otherwise its a quick salad with something that will be cooked quickly..eg steak, snitzel ect.
Best and most valuable thing I ever bought was a slow cooker hon. Put it on in the morning and yourve got a beautifully cooked meal at the end of the day without having to worry

Im the same as maz, we have dinner about 5.30 or 6pm and if hubby isnt home it gets up into the fridge for reheating. the kids get a bath or shower at 5pm, laceys in bed about 6.30pm to 7pm depending on if dinner was at 5.30 or 6. joel then normally goes to bed or falls asleep on the couch about 7 or 7.30.

We have never made a huge deal out of things, routine at this time i think is semi important but you also have to be flexible and go with it.

Oh day sleeps are only lacey and thats at about 12pm so shes awake about 2 or 2.30 sometimes 3pm.